"Yeah, let's", Adrien replied, a smile again on his face. He knew he could do it; he just needed to try harder. He grasped on the staff again; "I'm ready when you are", he said.

Valerion nodded and created another sphere of darkness that he flung towards Adrien, who spun his circle with his mind's eye fixated on the image he had conjured, on the safeness of this thought; but, once more, fear had the best of him. He rubbed his arms again. "I -- I don't understand", he said. "I can see it so clearly: I am in my room, I am reading, and nothing is bothering me... I don't understand what I am doing wrong".

"It's alright", Valerion said. "Abstract defense magic is beginner-friendly, but by no means the easiest there is. Don't get discouraged if you need a while to figure it out; I know that you will eventually get there. I hope that I am not asking too much of you, however -- Ah!", he suddenly exclaimed, his eyes wide, "That's why! It's because of your mother!".

"My mom?", Adrien asked, thoroughly confused. "What about my mom?".