Enril and Zelek bolted out of bed at the rooster`s crow. They had received a set of robes the night prior: a thin, black undershirt and pants, a green belt, and a brown robe that stretched down to their ankles. These were the traditional robes of a Foon Clan Seeker.

　　Once dressed, they met outside and sprinted to Elder Shinu`s courtyard. As they crossed the threshold, they bowed to him. He directed them to join the back row of children.

　　"Today, we welcome two newcomers: Enril and Zelek," Shinu announced. "With one hundred pupils, I believe this is an excellent time to review. Would anyone like to explain how the Foundation Formation Realm works?" No one raised their hand. Shinu let out a dejected sigh. "Junior Mingu, please stand and enlighten your peers."

　　Foon Mingu stood and bowed to Elder Shinu. "Thank you, Honored Elder. Welcome, Enril and Zelek." He turned to face the boys, his green eyes shining bright despite the early morning roll call. "You begin, just as you two, in the First-Step. As you cultivate and roll your Filter you accumulate strength. At certain times, you will ascend a step until you reach the fifth, and final, step." Mingu bowed to Shinu before he sat.

　　"Next question: How does one replenish their riken?" Several hands had shot into the air. "Junior Marana, please stand and answer."

　　 Marana rose to her feet and bowed. "A description in your Schema will guide you on how to draw in ambient riken. All things in the world are filled with riken, but they alter it from its pure state. The very air we breathe is filled with riken but has the attribute of wind. Bringing that power inside of you and processing it is how you replenish your riken." She bowed again and sat.

　　Shinu gave a slow nod. "What is the most important rule a Seeker must abide by in our land of Heaven`s Vale?" Only three hands rose this time. "Junior Dai Fu, please speak."

　　Dai Fu rose and bowed. "A Seeker must never take the life of another. The Ten Heavens Council has decreed this act is punishable by death." Her jet-black hair flowed in the breeze. She bowed again and sat.

　　"Thank you for your answers. I hope you two boys listened well. Today, we will practice our fundamentals." Shinu stood and the students followed suit.

　　The morning passed in a blur for Enril and Zelek. One morning under Elder Shinu had more than doubled the difficulty, length, and complexity when compared to their three years under Elder Winryu. As the afternoon approached, the students were dismissed from physical training. They returned to their designated seats to begin their daily cultivation. At Shinu`s command, the students conjured their Filters and rolled them. A sea of ones flashed through the group, with only a handful of twos joining in. However, a single three stood out.

　　"My my, it seems you`ve a bright future, Zelek," Shinu chuckled as he congratulated the new Seeker.

　　"Thank you, Honored Elder, for your praise," Zelek replied once the riken had ceased.

　　Enril grabbed at his robe. He and Zelek had grown up more like brothers, rather than mere cousins. But now that they had entered the world of cultivation, Zelek seemed to be blessed beyond reason. Despite their childhood antics, they had vowed to one another at seven years that they would work hard and grow together. How was he supposed to hold up his end of the vow when Zelek was so far ahead?

　　"You`re dismissed for today. Rest well, children," Shinu waved as the students filtered out of the courtyard row by row.

　　Enril trudged down the hill in solemn silence. Zelek rushed after him. "Enril, wait for me. Are you alright?"

　　Enril shrugged. "Guess I`m bummed I rolled a one," he rolled his eyes.

　　"Yeah, that is a bummer, but try not to worry too much. One is the most common number on our Filters. It`s bound to happen, right? I bet tomorrow you`ll roll your two again," Zelek said, giving Enril an encouraging clap on the shoulder.

　　Enril watched in awe and confusion as green wisps of riken coalesced above Zelek`s Filter. They swirled into a cone before streaming through his Filter, and into his body. Blood trickled from his lips as he absorbed the energy.

　　Shinu stood silent for a moment. Enril tugged at Shinu`s sleeve and shook him from his stupor. "He`s ascending to the Second-Step," Shinu closed his eyes and shoved his palm outward. As he opened his eyes, a gust of wind burst from his palm.

　　"Elder Shinu, how is this possible? Zelek has only been with us for ten days. Shouldn`t it take half a moon or longer?" Dai Fu`s displeasure was palpable.

　　Shinu frowned, "Jealousy has no place among Seekers, all it does is breed contempt and hatred. Jealousy will devour your heart." Dai Fu huffed and turned her nose up but peeped one eye open at Zelek.

　　Enril felt guilt deep in his heart. Shinu`s words resonated with him, and he couldn`t help but berate himself for his misguided envy of Zelek.

　　For three minutes, the wisps of riken continued to flow into Zelek. When it was finished, he wiped the blood from his lip and stood. "So this is the Second-Step? I feel incredible," He cheered. A hand clapped onto his shoulder, he turned to face who he thought was Enril but was greeted by a silver-trimmed robe instead.

　　"Well done, Junior Zelek. It seems your Patriarch was wise to entrust the Winds of the King Schema to a talent such as yourself." Xing knelt with a proud smile.

　　Zelek flinched back, "G-g-greetings Honored Patriarch." He knelt and touched his forehead to the ground. "Forgive me, I didn`t know it was you behind me."

　　Xing laughed. "You can relax. Stand and face me. You`ve achieved something great today. You may have set an unbreakable record. Your Patriarch has prepared a gift," He held his hand out. A tiny, ruby-red pill sat on a cushion inside of a wooden container. "You should be able to ingest and integrate this pill into your body before your next stipend. This is the WindGrace pill. You`ll notice that your Reserve will replenish faster when absorbing riken from the wind. Your Reserve will grow a bit faster from your daily cultivation, as well. Last, your manipulation of wind will grow once you ascend to later realms. Now, I must be off." After Zelek grabbed the pill, Xing disappeared in a blur. Zelek was left to stare at where his Patriarch had been standing. The students were speechless. All eyes were on the ruby-red pill Zelek held.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

　　"Make sure to cherish that treasure. It would take the average adult more than four years to save for one." Elder Shinu cast a sidelong glance at where Xing had stood, knowing the truth of that pill`s existence. Shinu turned to the rest of the students. "Sparring will resume the week after Enril enters the Second-Step. For now, we will contin-" Shinu`s words were interrupted by a fresh rush of riken.

　　Enril sat, absorbing the ambient riken at a pace slightly inferior to Zelek`s. For eight straight days, he had rolled a one, and now he thanked Heaven for his two. Though it gave him a sense of relief, he was still unnerved by how consistently Zelek had been rolling three or higher with his Filter.

　　As the new riken pushed the boundaries of his Reserve, it sent waves of pain through his body. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. After two minutes, the stretch on his Reserve eased. He opened his eyes to see everyone staring at him. "Is everything alright?" He wiped the blood from his mouth.

　　"It seems the Foon clan was blessed with not one but two prodigies this season." Xing had returned without anyone`s attention. "My only regret is that I don`t have a second WindGrace pill to bestow on you. I hope you can forgive me for the unequal treatment. Both you and Zelek have achieved something unprecedented today. Even I, your Patriarch, took twenty days to enter the Second-Step." Xing chewed his cheek as he rustled through the pouch attached to his hip. As much as he wanted to, he didn`t dare curse this blessing. To part with one of his treasures was a small price to pay for the sake of the clan, in his opinion. Xing knelt in front of Enril and said, "In lieu of the WindGrace pill, I hope Junior will accept this pendant. It`s a mysterious treasure. Its exact use remains unknown, but it absorbs riken during your cultivation. This should become a great treasure once it absorbs enough." A hexagonal prism with pointed ends that rested on the silky ribbon. Xing tied it around Enril`s neck.

　　"Junior wouldn`t dare refuse a gift from Honored Patriarch." Enril bowed his head to the ground, "Thank you for your generosity." He stood and the pendant swayed until it came to rest on his chest.

　　"You both hold great promise for the clan`s future. May Heaven continue to smile on you both." Xing ruffled Enril`s hair before vanishing again.

　　Shinu crumpled to the ground and babbled nonsense. Many students rushed over to check on him, but he brushed them off. "Don`t fret over this old man, he`s just shocked at the advent of such talent. Congratulations are in order, Enril. With your ascension, we will begin sparring next week." Shinu stood and dusted off his robe.

　　Zelek glanced at Enril with pure joy. Enril wore a crooked smile in return. Shinu dismissed the students for the day and the boys started their short journey home.

　　"We`ve grown so much in just ten days, I can`t believe it. I received that pill, and you got that cool pendant. What more could we ask for?" Zelek wrung his hands together and giggled.

　　"It is exciting, isn`t it?" Enril bit his lip as he thought about next week`s training.

　　Sparring was a rite of passage for Seekers. Exercising one`s Stream was crucial to growth, almost as much as daily cultivation. He couldn`t shake the thought of Zelek beating him in a match. He played different scenarios through his head, different ways the spar could go, but they all ended the same: Zelek emerging victorious.

　　"Enril, Zelek, into the ring," Shinu directed. The boys approached the center of the courtyard, in which the firm and packed dirt had a rough circle drawn into it. "Show me you can enhance your bodies with riken and jump as high as you can," Shinu instructed. He cocked his head as he watched the boys` breathing cycle. They both held impressive potential. Just ten days had brought them to this point. It was unclear whether both boys held a Heaven-defying trait, or if Enril was a byproduct of Zelek`s potential.

　　Their bodies shimmered with white light, and they leaped into the air. The other students gasped and Shinu watched with wide eyes as he followed their ascent. They both jumped well over two meters straight up. Zelek was a finger`s breadth higher than Enril. Zelek landed with nimble grace and waited, while Enril gave a slight stumble as he greeted the ground, but managed to stay on his feet.

　　Shinu cleared his throat, "Very adequate, well done, both of you. This match is designed to help you push your limits and learn. It is not designed to harm one another. While sparring, you will naturally utilize the riken in your Reserve. You won`t stunt your growth by sparring. Do not let worry cloud your mind, and fight free. Are you both ready?"

　　Both boys responded with a resounding "Yes".

　　"You may begin," Shinu declared, stepping back from the circle with a slight grin on his lips. Given that the training of all Foon members was identical, talent would be the deciding factor in the match.

　　In a wild charge, Zelek rushed towards Enril. Dirt flew from where his feet once stood. Flurrying fists forced Enril back. As his heels dug just short of the edge of the circle, Zelek`s fist raced forward. He raised his hands and grasped Zelek`s wrist. With a jerk, he pulled the fist to the side, causing it to graze his cheek. With a quick twist, Enril rammed his hip into Zelek`s waist.

　　Zelek`s feet left the ground.

　　"Enril," Shinu`s breath caught in his throat, "Wins by ring out!"

　　Zelek sprang up with a backward roll. He lunged at Enril, declaring, "I`m not finished yet." With a growl, he threw a wild haymaker with his right fist. Zelek`s skin still shimmered with the light of enhancement, but Enril had let his breath relax after Shinu`s announcement. Enril managed just a single step back before Zelek`s fist landed. Enril`s humerus gave a grotesque crunch as he was launched out of the circle. He writhed and cried out as he skidded four meters away.

　　"Junior Zelek," Shinu roared. Zelek froze with his jaw slack. The other students sat in stunned silence.

　　Zelek came to his senses and rushed over to Enril. He tried to help Enril up by grabbing hold of his uninjured arm, but Enril resisted, kicking and scrambling.

　　"I didn`t& Enril& I`m so so-&" Zelek stared at his hands. In his eyes, they were painted crimson. He let his breath go, and his white glow faded.

　　"Enril, you must calm yourself. Enhance your body with riken. It will help stem the pain." Shinu said as he hovered over Enril. His eyes fixed on Enril`s left upper arm, which twisted at an unnatural angle, and a deep purple bruise had begun to form.

　　Enril`s head swam as he struggled to focus his breath. Errant thoughts clouded his mind.

　　`How could Zelek do this? Is he angry that I won? Does he hate me for matching his achievement? What did I do wrong?`

　　Enril shook his head, cleared his thoughts, and focused on his breathing. The pain lessened in an instant. He sat up, a cold sweat drenched him, and his left arm dangled limp at his side.

　　"This will serve as a lesson for everyone," Shinu turned to the rest of the students. "Accidents may happen, but even an honest mistake has consequences. You must face the consequences of your actions."

　　Shinu helped Enril to his feet. "Tomorrow, Patriarch Xing will ask you for the action you desire to be taken. I will be the primary witness of this transgression. He will make the final decision. You should go to First Elder Heles and seek aid." He gave Enril a gentle nudge forward. Enril left the courtyard, cradling his arm.

　　Shinu turned to Zelek. "You`ve committed a moderate transgression, Zelek. This affects your peers, your family, but most importantly, your clan." Zelek shuddered with each named party. Shinu`s eyes narrowed. "You may have maimed him. His future may be affected."

　　Zelek hung his head. "Junior admits his mistake, Elder Shinu." Tears stained the ground at Zelek`s feet.