“You made it,” Lian Hai said. “And to think, I was wondering if I’d need to find you.”

Frederick replied, “Thanks. I considered waiting for you to stop by, but with what we have planned, traveling back here by myself sounded like a good warm up.”

She nodded, and a lull settled between them. Frederick admired the beautiful otherworldly landscape. Enormous islands floated in the star-speckled sky. Half of the ridge they stood on descended in a grassy hillside, while the other consisted of rough rocky terraces that dropped at different rates. He might’ve thought they’d arrived at the same spot as last time if not for one detail. 

Nearby, an ornamental tree grew from the hillside. Its blazing red foliage contrasted the indigo sky, green grass, and gray cliffs. Small and round green fruits hung from the lower branches. What were they? Frederick approached the tree, and Lian Hai followed.

“I haven’t seen this here before.” She stood on her toes, and her eyes widened. “Ooh. It's a lime tree. The ones I had growing up produced similar fruits, though I’ve never seen one this red.”

Frederick did the same. The small pointed ends on each fruit confirmed her observation. The unusual red foliage piqued his curiosity, and he got an idea. Focusing on a lower lime as well as within, Frederick reached for it and imagined the fruit separating from the stem. Even before he made contact, wisps of light and warmth formed in his fingertips. When he pulled the lime from the branch, it separated without resistance.

“Good job,” Lian Hai said. “You’re getting better already.”

Frederick nodded and handed the lime over. 

While she inspected it, he considered their plan of attack. Although he’d improved his spirit-based powers, he didn’t want to settle for writing notes and picking fruit. Additionally, he wanted to minimize his time in the astral plane, so they needed to maximize this opportunity. Since he couldn’t know how to ease into the topic, he addressed it outright.

“You insisted you couldn’t teach me interdimensional fighting over calls or messaging,” Frederick said. “Since we’re here, how can I learn?”

“Right.” Lian Hai nodded and put the lime in her pocket. “You have a few hours, right?”

“Yes, but I also don’t want to stay too long. This world seems safe, but I don’t want to risk monsters interrupting, especially if we’re using a lot of power.”

“That’s true.”

Lian Hai grabbed her chin, her eyebrows furrowing. She then inspected both sides of the ridge and the lime tree. What was she planning?

Frederick was about to ask when she spun around and punched the tree trunk. Her fist hit the bark with a thump, and when she removed it, a small gash remained. Her hand had started glowing, something Frederick missed at first.

“This is solid enough,” Lian Hai muttered while glancing up. “Then again, I don’t want to endanger these limes. We should go elsewhere.”

“What was that about?” Frederick asked.

“I’m looking for something to practice on.” she explained. “We need a substitute punching bag, as just hitting the air won’t work, and I don’t think you’d want us to start punching each other.”

Her explanation made sense, and Frederick searched for something physical to hit. Farther down the hill, some hearty oak trees provided promise as sturdy punching boards. However, he dreaded the thought of hiking across the expansive plain. 

The other side of the ridge had even worse prospects. The shriveled and thorny bushes looked like they’d jab him all over or crumble under one solid strike. They also didn’t appear to reach past either of their waists, and he didn’t want to crouch. Moreover, Frederick hated the thought of climbing a sheer cliff more than descending a steep yet walkable hill.

As his gaze drifted over the rocky terraces, an idea hit him.

“What if we used these cliff faces?” he asked. “They look sturdy.”

Lian Hai crouched along the cliff edge and frowned. “True. Maybe too sturdy. They’ll be a pain.”

“Unfortunately, the only soft thing within walking distance is us, and I agree that us punching each other is a terrible idea.”

“Touche,” Lian Hai replied. “Next time we do this, I’ll find a boxing gym.”

First, they searched for a nearby terrace large enough that they could both stand on it. Upon finding a suitable spot, they descended the cliff face single file. Frederick tested each ledge before applying his weight, and to his relief, they held up. Part of him wondered what would happen if he slipped and fell while in astral form. He ignored the intrusive thought and focused on climbing.

Once they reached their destination, Lian Hai inspected the smooth rock face. It must’ve sufficed, for she stepped back and began her lesson.

“So, you’ve gotten skilled at grabbing and maneuvering small items,” she said. “Additionally, you can harness your power more quickly. I noticed you didn’t need a long charging period to grab the lime.”

“Thanks,” Frederick replied. “I have a feeling there’s a catch, however.”

“There is.” Her tone turned grim. “Unfortunately, your astral-based strength is limited to your physical strength. You cannot move or maneuver anything beyond what you can in the real world.”

“I see. How much of a problem will this be?”

“If you’re hoping to defend yourself from the shadowy beasts, it’s a dire one. Those things are stronger, faster, and tougher than humans. If you try to beat them through natural force, you’ll lose.”

Despite his stomach churning, he took a breath to stay calm. “And if I tap into my astral strength, I stand a chance at beating them, right?”

“More of a chance, for sure. Do you think I’m actually strong enough to punch a large hulking beast by myself?”

“You have a point.” Frederick realized how his words sounded and added, “No offense.”

Fortunately, she laughed. “None taken. Now, let me show the difference.”

Lian Hai faced the imposing cliff. Her hand glowed like normal, but when she struck the rock, nothing happened. Then, she squinted, and her fist ignited in a greenish flame. Likewise, her eyes lit up in similar fashion. She drew her arm back and slammed it into the rock.

It split with a sharp crack, and a short but deep gash cut through it.

She turned. “See the difference?”

Frederick nodded.

“Now you try,” she said while gesturing at a smooth surface.

”Hold on,” Frederick said. “Aren’t you going to explain how you dug deeper into your power?”

“You kind of just do it. It’s the same as how you unlock more physical strength the more exercises you do.” Lian Hai’s eyebrows furrowed.  “I’m trying to think of a better way to explain, but it’s different for everyone, and what works for me might not work for you.”

“Then, why not just tell me certain methods over the phone?”

“Because I can’t watch how you wield your power that way. Showing you in person also wouldn’t work for obvious reasons. As such, the best way is to watch how you do it and give tips on adjustment.”

Despite doubts, Frederick stood before the rock face and tried to strike it. His hand phased through. Then, he focused on his power inside and imagined his fist breaking the rock. Although his hand made contact, nothing else happened.

“Try again,” Lian Hai said. “Really give it your all.”

Frederick attempted several more strikes, adjusting each time based on Lian Hai’s comments. First, he loosened his posture. Then, he drew more inner power until his hand started to burn. He even attempted more outlandish ideas like striking with his nondominant hand, looking away, and muttering a focus mantra. None of them changed anything. If not for the soreness in his hand, he might’ve thought he was swatting air.

Eventually, he said, “Got any other ideas?”

“I’m thinking.” After a pause, Lian Hai replied, “That’s odd. You’re doing the right moves, and I can tell from your aura flaring that you’re reaching deeper into your power well, but nothing’s working.”

“That’s reassuring.” Frederick massaged his fist. “Any advice on getting past that?”

She grabbed his shoulder. “Try one more time.”

With a sigh, he obliged. Again, nothing changed aside from the growing soreness in his hand. Lian Hai’s frown deepened, which could’ve signaled thinking or an imminent problem. 

He asked, “Any changes?”

After another pause, she said, “Something you’re doing to conjure your power is holding you back. It worked just fine for more precise movements, but it’s stopping you from tapping deeper into your reserves.”

“And what might that be?”

She shrugged. “No clue. Guess you’ll have to figure that out.”

Frederick’s fists clenched. Between Lian Hai’s vague feedback, the internet’s lack of useful information, and the Cloaked Figure refusing to elaborate on their vague threats, his frustration at the lack of clear answers was mounting fast. It didn’t help that the few he’d received followed disasters.

If that pattern continued, what harm could befall him or his loved ones before he learned the truth?

Throwing his usual method out the window, he thrust his fist at the cliff face. He didn’t imagine the rock breaking apart, nor did he track whether the burning in his chest came from power or his irritation reaching a boiling point. His focus lay on the rock and his desire to shatter it.

A loud crack filled the silence. The smooth rock broke into jagged shards as Frederick’s knuckles slammed into it, and it continued to crumble as his fist followed through with the strike. By the time the solid interior stopped him, a small crater remained. 

Lian Hai gasped. “Ooh. Do it again.”

Frederick almost didn’t register her words through the shock. Once he did, he tried again. A tiny pebble chipped off, but nothing else happened. At least, it didn’t hurt as much.

“Well, it’s something.” After a pause, she smiled. “I knew that would do it.”

“What do you mean?” Frederick asked.

“Getting you to stop overthinking,” she replied. “I had a feeling you were trying to calculate every step in your head and that it was holding you back. As a test, I stopped explaining to see if it would push you to throw away your hangups and go full send. Evidently, it worked.”

Although he understood her point, he questioned whether she could’ve gotten the results a different way. Before he could voice his thoughts, shooting pain in his hand made him flinch and inspect it. Bruises formed at the knuckles, and small gashes cut through the skin. Although he didn’t know how much would transfer to his physical body, he didn’t want to risk it.

Lian Hai grimaced. “Ouch. You want to call it a night?”

Frederick nodded, and they climbed to the top of the ridge. Exhaustion began to set in as his adrenaline high faded, so he sat beneath the lime tree to rest. Lian Hai joined him, and they stayed there in silence.

Eventually, he said, “Thanks for demonstrating this. I know this can’t be easy to teach, especially when there’s no clear guide.”

“You’re welcome.” Lian Hai rubbed the back of her head. “Sorry for being so vague earlier. I’m still learning this myself. There are a few things I want to try solo before passing them on.” 

Frederick raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“Remember when I said we couldn’t use our astral-based powers in our physical bodies?” He nodded, and she continued, “The Cloaked Figure was in a physical form and yet wielded many astral-based powers like telekinesis, portal creation, energy reading, and grabbing interdimensional entities.”

“Not to mention banishing us back to our bodies.”

“Exactly,” Lian Hai replied. “It got me thinking. Is there a chance we could do the same? I considered attempting to use astral powers in the physical world when I first started this, but it didn’t work, and I never tried again. I didn’t see the need at first, but if these monsters are attacking us in the physical world, it’s worth a shot.”

Now, Frederick chipped in. “It’s doable, but it’s way more straining. Even something as simple as lifting a pen hurt.”

She froze, then grabbed his shoulders, her eyes wide. The sudden gesture made Frederick freeze, but before he could ask anything, she started launching her own questions. 

“Wait, you’ve done this before?” Her words poured out with more speed and urgency. “Where was this? When was this? What made you decide to give it a try?”

Frederick scooted back and paused to think before replying, “Yeah. I did it yesterday in the cabin while training to fight the monsters. Didn’t I mention that?”

“You did, but I thought you meant in the astral plane.” Lian Hai whipped around, her hands clenching, before shaking her head and standing. “Never mind. You’ll need to show me another time. For now, we should call this off before you wake up with swollen hands or bruised knuckles.”