The restriction did not disappear after they left the evaluation space.
Kael noticed it immediately as they returned to the outer training grounds. The familiar sense of alignment—the precise moment he had come to rely on—felt distant now, as though something had been placed between him and the field. It wasn't gone, but it was muted enough to disrupt his timing.
He exhaled slowly and rolled his shoulders, trying to adjust.
"…That's going to be a problem," he said.
Lyra stood across from him, watching carefully. "Yes," she replied. "It will."
Kael stepped forward and raised his hand, focusing inward the same way he had before. He searched for the alignment point, tracing the sensation as it formed.
This time, it came slower.
Weaker.
Less precise.
He reached for it anyway.
The response was delayed.
The field shifted slightly, but not cleanly. The adjustment felt incomplete, as though he were working through resistance he could not see.
Kael lowered his hand, frowning. "It's still there," he said, "but I can't reach it the same way."
"The restriction is limiting your interaction," Lyra said. "Not removing it."
Kael nodded slowly.
"…So I don't need to push harder," he said. "I need to be more precise."
Lyra did not respond immediately.
Then she said, "Yes."
Kael reset his stance.
This time, he did not rush to reach the alignment.
Instead, he waited.
When the moment came, he approached it more carefully, adjusting his timing rather than forcing contact.
The response was cleaner.
Still weaker than before, but stable.
Kael exhaled quietly. "That's better."
Lyra stepped forward.
"Again," she said.
Kael smiled faintly despite himself.
"…Of course."