Garion crossed his arms, smiling just like usual.
"Don't worry too much about it. Just think of it as a rite of passage. If you can survive, you'll gain tremendous strength like me."
The group went quiet for a moment.
Rynar rubbed his arm again, still looking uneasy.
"So basically, we have to nearly die to become strong?"
Garion chuckled.
"You won't die. Probably."
Rynor frowned.
"Probably?"
Garion smirked.
"Well, I didn't die, did I?"
The disciples stared at him blankly.
Garion just laughed.
"Relax. Once you awaken it, you'll understand why it's worth it. Look at me. After my awakening, I could stand toe-to-toe with Raviel. That's proof enough."
Everyone nodded, slowly starting to smile.
Arden nodded, beginning to calm down.
"That makes sense. If each awakening changes the body at the cellular level, it would explain the massive jump in strength."
Dahlia crossed her arms, still frowning.
"Still... the pain sounds like something I'll never forget."
Garion grinned.
