Check charging limits, costs and expiration.
The FocusEnergy effect adds one charge per successful activation, up to the cap supplied by the charging skill. A higher skill level raises that cap; it does not fill every charge in one cast.
Charges expire after 10 real minutes. A successful increase restarts this timer. Spending charges also restarts it if some remain; spending all stops it. Attempting to charge while already at the cap returns before resetting the timer.
Interlude Sonic Focus and Focused Force have seven base levels, with caps from 1 to 7 charges. Sonic Focus costs 25 HP and 5 MP per cast and accepts dual swords, swords or blunts. Focused Force costs 20 HP and 5 MP and requires fist weapons. These are charging costs, not the charge cost of every attack.