Purple Bhe accidental shield that saved Liam from the fall was a wake-up call. The purple light wasn't just for parlor tricks; it was a fundamental force, a part of him that instinctively reacted to danger. This realization both thrilled and terrified him. He and Maya dedicated their next session in the treehouse to mastering this defensive magic.
"We need controlled danger," Maya announced, brandishing a soft, foam dart gun. Liam raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?" "Seriously," she insisted. "We start small." Their first training exercise involved Maya shooting foam darts at him while he tried to consciously summon the deep indigo flash. Initially, the results were disastrous. The shield would only appear a millisecond after the dart harmlessly bounced off his chest, a frustratingly delayed reaction. "It’s too slow, Liam! You have to anticipate!"
He sat cross-legged, closing his eyes. He stopped focusing on the darts and focused on the feeling he had when the light first activated—the instinct of self-preservation, the sudden, warm solidity beneath his foot. He mentally pulled that emotion into his core. "Ready," he whispered, opening his eyes.
Maya fired. Fwooosh. Before the dart could even cross the midpoint of the small clearing, Liam felt a spike of focus, and the air around him solidified. The deep indigo light, previously reactive, now flared intentionally, forming a transparent dome. The dart splattered harmlessly against the glowing barrier, falling to the ground. Liam hadn't just reacted; he had willed it. A feeling of profound control settled over him. He dismissed the shield, the light receding like a gentle wave, leaving behind a subtle shimmer. "I think," he grinned, collecting the dart, "I'm starting to understand this purple boy business." Their adventure was leveling up, and Liam was ready for the next challenge.