Quinn Thorne closed his eyes and turned his attention inward, probing the reserves of energy that now resided somewhere deep within his chest. After drawing on it repeatedly throughout the day, he could confirm what he already suspected: the well had diminished, noticeably shallower than it had been that morning.
The mysterious old man on the other end of the line seemed to have anticipated this conclusion. He didn't wait for Quinn to speak before continuing, his voice carrying the calm authority of someone explaining gravity to a child. "Energy conservation is an immutable law of the universe. The strange power residing in your body is called ethereal energy. When you draw upon it, the reserves deplete, but through proper cultivation, you can replenish what was lost and even expand your
