The crystal pulsed with faint blue light, glowing steadily in the grass, a soul energy conductor, refined and forged to do one thing:
Absorb.
Rin stood before it, hands pressed against the surface as if trying to crush it, his entire body trembling.
Roy stood nearby, arms crossed as he watched in silence.
Sweat dripped down Rin's chin.
His breath came out ragged.
His prana, normally quiet and calm like a small candle, now roared inside him like an uncontained storm, being sucked into the crystal at a monstrous rate. His body resisted. His gate strained. His instincts screamed, 'Stop.'
So he pushed harder.
Again.
And again.
His knees buckled.
Rin crashed to the ground, clutching his chest as if it were on fire, gasping like a fish starved of air.
His vision blurred.
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
He wanted to cry. God, he wanted to cry. To cry to his mom or dad and hug both of them very tight.
"… Hah… haaah… c-can't… b-breathe…"
Roy approached slowly.
He crouched beside Rin and placed two fingers on his back, a feather-light touch.
Warm. Like placing a hot stone over frozen skin.
Rin's mind jolted. The agony dulled, his heartbeat levelled, and his breath steadied.
"…Huh?"
He blinked up.
Roy withdrew his hand and stood.
"Get up."
There was no gentleness in his tone.
No softness. But there was expectation.
Rin stared at his hand.
Then clenched it.
Then stood. And without hesitation, slammed both hands against it again.
This time harder. Roy watched. Expressionless.
But his eyes… Just barely… softened.
Persistent little brat.
The stars emerged over the empty field. Hours passed. Rin's prana flowed, wavered, surged and collapsed, but still he kept pushing, even when his body felt like it had turned to lead.
Until finally…
The crystal flickered, its glowing stabilising, infused with everything Rin had left.
And Rin, for the second time, collapsed. This time he didn't move.
Roy sighed.
"…Idiot."
He stepped forward and lifted the boy over his shoulder with ease.
Rin was asleep before Roy even took a step.
As Roy walked back toward the hideout, the night wind brushing against him, he glanced at the unconscious kid on his shoulder.
"…You want to grow up so badly," he muttered quietly.
His grip tightened ever so slightly.
"Then I guess I'll make sure you do."