Lucien briefed them first.
"To understand what comes next," he said calmly, "you need to understand the path."
They sat where he indicated.
"Practicing isn't just about absorbing energy," Lucien said. "That's what mortals think. That's why most never pass the threshold."
He tapped the air lightly.
"The Mortal Realm strengthens the body. It tempers endurance, circulation, and raw capacity. But beyond that, brute accumulation stops working."
He looked directly at them.
"To advance, you must align three things."
He raised one finger.
"Mind. A clear and stable consciousness. One that can endure pressure, contradiction, and change without fracturing."
A second finger.
"Body. A vessel capable of withstanding transformation. Not just strength, but adaptability. If your body rejects change, everything ends there."
A third finger.
"Soul. The record of existence. It's the self that persists through change, refinement, and rebirth."
