"My Physical cultivation went up by a level. Cool!" Lesley chuckled softly as he turned around and started walking,"So, now I have a summon, how do I summon it?"
[Look behind you]
"Huh?" Lesley turned around and saw the Bone Constricter remains turn to green dust, and float away in the air, towards the courtyard far away.
[Hurry along, let's go back to the Soul Centre]
"Is that what the courtyard is?" Lesley asked as he started to jog through the forest.
[Yes, it- there's something ahead of you]
"Seriously? I just...ugh" Lesley stopped and hid behind a tree and checked on what was ahead.
A bony figure emerged from the trees, it's frame humanoid, but obviously not. It was tall, almost seven feet and It walked on bony legs, it's body clicking and clacking with its joints. It had a glowing blue fire in its eyes and a blue glow in its chest, like a ball of fire. A raggedy old cape with Beastskin shoulder pads was on its frame, a vestige upon its bones.
"What is that?" Lesley asked Phix telepathically,
[Use your perception and find out]
[
|•|
Name: Skeleton Chief
Species: Undead
Title {s}: Bog Champion
Rank: High level Skeleton
Class: Skeleton Warrior
Main law: Bone
Minor law: Rot
|∆|
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Strength: 55
Agility: 45
Stamina: {Limitless}
Vitality: 90/90
Sanity: 85.0
|∆|
MAGICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Spirit: 50
Zombie Core: Grey {Apex}
Weapon: Skull Hammer
|∆|
UNDEAD ABILITIES:
[BONE BENDING| Level 6]
[NECROS BITE| Level 7]
[ZOMBIE DASH| Level 5]
[SPINE SLICE| Level 7]
[RIB CAGES| Level 6]
[LIFE SENSE| Level 8]
|•|
]
[Don't move]
Lesley felt his heart stop when he saw its stats, horrified by the power the skeleton a few metres away had. He knew if he ran, it would catch him, there was no contests on who would kill who if they fought. The red haired teenager, just stood still, his eyes watching the skeleton wearily and with tense muscles.
The Skeleton Chief walked a few steps and stopped, then it looked left and right, before pausing in Lesley's direction. It stared at the tree Lesley was hiding behind for a few minutes and then it walked on, disappearing in the trees. Lesley waited five minutes, asking Phix to do a scan of the areea, to see if it was still around.
[It's gone. You're safe]
Lesley ran, he didn't hesitate for a moment, but ran as fast as he could to get as far away from there as possible. After what felt like half an hour, he jumped back onto the courtyard and lay flat on the ground, huffing and puffing like he was about to pass out.
"That was...what was that?" Lesley asked breathlessly.
Prix floated off his shoulder and floated in the air, his green ember like form gentle.
[I don't know, but if I am to assume, I would guess that is the strongest skeleton in the first ring]
"You would be correct " a different voice spoke up, and Lych's form appeared next to Lesley,"There are two forms of undead in the first ring, Physical and Spirit undead, you just met the strongest of the former."
"Why didn't you tell me about this? A heads up would have been great!" Lesley shouted at him but Lych gave him a calculative look.
"You would have hesitated to enter and gain your first summon. Now, you are more aware." Lych said calmly," And not bad, on getting a Bone Constricter, I expected you to bring a human skeleton or something."
Lesley got up and gave puffed a long breath,"And thanks for my weapon, I guess I should say. Though I feel like there's a lot you should tell me, and I should know."
"There is, and I was about to get to that right now." Lycv said as he pointed behind him, to the Western wall where his Five Headed Raven engraving was. Slowly the heads, turned and faced away from each other, before fading away, like a mirage. From the wall, five balls of green fire appeared, each floating like celestial spheres, luminous and yet, eerie.
One of the flames went towards Lesley while the rest floated before the Western wall. Stone pedestals rose up from the ground, engraved with a single unreadable ruin. The balls of fire instantly petrified and turned to stone, landing on a pedestal. The flaming ball that went to Lesley hovered around him, twirling around, like a fluttering butterfly. It seemed to scan him, peering into a facet of himself that was underneath, and for a moment, Lesley's skull became apparent, as if his skin vanished. The moment faded as, It stopped before his face, and Lesley gazed back at it. The ball of flames then went to float above his Aether core, circling it like a moon in orbit.
"What is that?" Lesley asked Lych.
"That is the Pillar of Undeath, one of the Five Pillars of Reanimation," Lych said but noticed Lesley confused face,"Reanimation is a law based of Five concepts of Power, known as Pillars. These Pillars, are the blue print to the law of Reanimation."
"Oh, okay. I get it, but if that's Undeath, then what about those other balls over there?" Lesley pointed to the balls on the Western wall.
"Unimportant, since you still have to master Undeath before they can be of any use to you." Lych said as he turned back to the Sphere of Undeath,"Now, The Sphere of Undeath has been unlocked because you have conquered an undead, this has opened the way for Re-evolution. Where you can devolve any undead you have, and it will evolve into a new form, with the chance of gaining a Class or a New Main law."
"You're kidding. That's awesome." Lesley smiled excitedly, but Lych was quick to burst his bubble.
"Just know undead will restart at the bottom rank, regardless of how strong they were before and it costs Necros points to do this. So, don't jump for joy yet." Lych looked at Lesley," And, as a passive skill, The Sphere of Undeath will breakdown your Aether Core, and save your cultivation."
"What? But I just levelled up my Physical cultivation." Lesley said dryly," Though I guess I should remember I still can't physically cultivate can I?"
"No, you can, you just need a Physical cultivation technique. Luckily for you, I can give the basics till you reach Transcendent Novice and Soul Ascending level. After that, the Sphere of Undeath can provide you a cultivation technique, but only for Soul points, not Necros Points." Lych said and Lesley scowled.
[Stop with the scowling. Soul points aren't what you think Lesley.]
"Aren't they points from absorbing a soul?" Lesley asked Phix harshly,"I don't like the idea of killing people to get ahead."
"You eventually will have to do that, you know that right?" Lych said coldly.
"I know, but I while I don't have to, I won't." Lesley replied sharply and Phix spoke up.
[Lesley Soul points are not points gained from killing or ending a soul as you believe. Soul points are gained by taking a Soul from Death.]
"What?" Lesley looked at the floating green ember.
[The law of Death requires the transition of a soul from the world of life to the world of the dead, but your Law of Reanimation is a stagnation and separation of that. You keep a soul in the world of the living, you do not let it die, but live upon death. When you break the cycle of life unto death, that's when you gain Soul points. Not necessarily when you absorb a soul.]
"That still doesn't make me feel better about what happens to those souls when I take them." Lesley replied.
"What do you believe happens to them? " Lych waved his hand and from the murky grey sky, a small ball of golden light floated down to his hand,"They merely float here. That is all."
"Is that...him?"
"Yes, it is. Here you go " Lych waved the orb to go to Lesley,"The Sphere of Undeath can remake him into an undead, offering you more Soul Points."
"What?"
"When you take up a Soul, you gain soul points and can use that same soul to make an Undead summon. You didn't believe that you'd have to risk your life, everytime to gain an undead did you?" Lych looked into the distance,"Your law domain is your greatest advantage and liability. Don't attempt it again until you're stronger, is what I recommend."
"I agree with you," Lesley looked at the orb in his hand"I almost died in there. I'm not strong enough to actually face real undeads like the ones in here."
"It is these undeads you will have to face when your plane ascends." Lych opened his hand and Lesley's weapon appeared in his hand," This will only get you so far."
"What exactly will happen when the plane ascends and shit?" Lesley asked him.
[That's my que to leave. I'm tired from everything. I'll speak to you later Lesley.]
Phix floated to the Northern wall and vanished in the Phoenix engraving on the wall.
"Before I explain to you what will happen, I have to explain to you three things about your cultivation and how to ascend to the next stages. Basic information known in Minor planes all over." Lych waved his hand and three apparitions of Lesley appeared next to him. One was mediating, the second one was posing with a jade short sword and the third was holding a Grey core in his hands.
"You know...I gotta ask, how strong are you?" Lesley eyed Lych thoughtfully but Lych just gave a cold smile.
"I'll tell you when you're a Soul Aura cultivator." Lych said calmly," Now, pay attention. When it comes to cultivation there are two things you must know about Physical cultivation and about Spiritual cultivation. The first stage of Physical cultivation, known as the Mortal coil stage is for tempering the five parts of your body, that's why it's broken into five levels."
The apparition of Lesley kneeling moved its hands and appeared to be breathing in a trance like state.
"It starts with the Blood, Organs, Flesh, Bone and Muscle. You temper each one by absorbing Aether, and increasing its dexterity and strength." Lych said calmly and snapped his fingers and an apparition of a normal zombie and an Undead wolf appeared behind his meditating one. The zombie and the wolf apparition stood stock still, facing forward.
"Now, Undeads are a different story. Undead creatures and Undead beasts, your Familiar being the former and the wolf being the later. They don't temper their bodies one by one, piece by piece, but instead, Aether flows into their bodies, tempering everything at once, with the majority going into their cores, that's how Undead work. And, how you work too."
Lesley opened his mouth to ask but Lych raised his hand to silence him,"You possess the Primordial Phoenix Bloodline, which makes you possessing a Cosmic Beast physique. That's why you're stronger than the average human, and why you would be stronger than peer physical cultivators with no special talent or attribute. It's also why your Aether Soul Sea is so vast, and why it evolves so quickly." Lych inclined his head," So, your physical cultivation would make you very invincible, but we have to get rid of the Aether Core in here and you have to start again."
"How does forming a core work anyway? Do I do that after the mortal coil stage?" Lesley asked and Lych nodded his head.
"To form a Core, Beasts do it by instinct, and they don't require teaching. Like your Familiar, knowing what to do to get stronger. Cultivators however, need a cultivation technique to form a core, because there are a lot of ways to effectively form one, some better than others. Yours was formed because of influx energies and our souls chaotically merging together."
Lych sighed and looked at the next apparition of Lesley posing with his Soul weapon," When you have formed a Core and are a Transcendent Novice, you gain the ability to use Battle arts, and fighting techniques. Battle arts use your Main law or Minor laws, along with your Aether to perform attacks and defences. Lawless fighting techniques use your Aether, and are less taxing, since using laws requires more Aether."
"How do I evolve to the next stage though?" Lesley asked, like a student in class.
"After tempering your body, you form a core, that's how you enter the Transcendent Novice stage. This stage is broken into ten levels, where you absorb Aether into your core, turning it from Gas, Liquid, Solid and then Crystal. These are the Four States of Aether you have to go through to get to the next stage." Lych waved his hand and the apparitions disappeared except the last one of Lesley holding a Grey core in his hand," The last thing, is about your Spiritual cultivation, involving Cores. Pay attention, forget what I say here and it will cost you dearly "
"Spiritual cultivation is about Absorbing Aether into your Aether Soul Sea, and like Physical cultivation it usually requires a cultivation technique. But, you have the Primordial Phoenix Bloodline and My Soul, which has opened up two advantages for you. One, you have a Beast physique, which allows you to allocate some of your Aether to your body and another to your Aether Soul Sea, and a begrudging part to your Familiar. As for the second thing, my Soul, it allows you to absorb Aether, pure Necros Aether from Undead cores, with no repercussions."
"What do you mean? Is Aether bad for me?" Lesley asked him and Lych smiled darkly.
"Aether is bad for everyone below Immortal Lord Rank," Lych opened his hand and a chaotic ball of dark energy appeared, seemingly clutching upon the air," Aether is an attributeless energy, as you've learnt but it's not without a will of its own or another. By design, Aether seeks to spread and imbued itself into a plane, making it influenced by the Will of the plane. As a cultivator, you are meant to take this resistant energy by coercion and cultivate your soul and core, with whatever scraps you get."
"Scraps? You mean-"
"Yes, even if you coerce some Aether into your body, it will be lost when it resists being in a human body, filtering out of your body like sand from your fingers." Lych said calmly," That's why you have energy pathways in your body, that hold the Aether and prevent its escape. You'll cross this information when you start to Physically cultivate. But when it comes to Spiritual cultivation, it's not these pathways that are doing the work, but your Mind Dome. The container of your Aether Soul Sea is called a Mind Dome, where you keep your Aether for Spiritual cultivation during your Soul Awakening stage. You double your base Aether ten full times, compounding it."
"Okay, I am already on Level 8, so how do I get to the Soul Ascending stage?" Lesley already guessed his Primordial Phoenix Bloodline was the reason he was quickly getting stronger in his Spiritual cultivation, so he didn't bother to ask.
"After filling your entire Mind Dome with Aether, you release it all into your Soul." Lych said and looked up," Your Soul space is inside your Mind Dome , which is inside your Soul. In other words, you have to shatter your Mind Dome, and awaken your Soul with a shockwave of Aether, that's why this stage is called the Soul Awakening stage."
"Won't that kill me?" Lesley felt scared of the idea.
"That will depend on you. If your Soul awakes, it has to gather the released Aether and Ascend to a Soul Avatar, then you will be in the Soul Ascending stage. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I get the gist of it. But, again, on the dying part, how do I avoid that?" Lesley asked him and Lych tilted his head in thought.
"In honesty, it is all about your will to ascend. If you're weak willed, you'll die and if you aren't, you'll succeed. I'll tell you more on forming a core after three days, your unstable Aether core will be gone by then. Then we start properly helping you cultivate. Now, get out of here and come back when you Ascend your Soul, something you won't get help with."
"Hmph! Rude much?" Lesley turned to leave but paused when he saw the Soul orb still in his hand," What should I do with this?"
"It's up to you," Lych walked to the Western wall, as he slowly fazed into stone," Whether to release it into Death's clutches to be trapped in the underworld, or to free it in Undeath, or just let it wander in your world till it dies. The choice will always be yours."
Lych stood before the Western wall and raised the hand holding Lesley's weapon," This weapon is powerful, but taxing outside here, and will drain you. Call it in emergencies only."
"Got it." Lesley nodded his head as Lych faded into the Western wall and the Five headed Raven carving reappeared.
Lesley sighed and looked at the Sphere of Undeath rotating around his Aether Core, like a moon on its orbit. As it rotated, tiny pieces of his Aether core crumbled off and got burnt by the Sphere of Undeath. Lesley wondered what would happen when it was all burnt.
"Hello? So, what are you going to do with me?"
"I don't know." Lesley looked at the Soul orb with a conflicted face," But, I know Death won't get you."
"Your friend said you could let me out into the real world," The Soul said," Though I'd die if I left this place."
"Do you want that? To die?"
"What? Damn no! What would I even be? Double dead?" Tobias gave a sigh," I died once, I ain't doing it again."
"Sorry about killing you." Lesley apologized," I really didn't mean to kill or absorb you."
"It's fine. I have had a lot of time to get over it." Tobias sounded disinterested even," Honestly, being a ball is what I hate most. No hands or legs, even a damn face!"
"Tobias was it?"
"Yeah?"
"How would you like to be a ghost?" Lesley asked him as he looked at the Sphere of Undeath.
"You're joking right?" Tobias the Soul would have gulped in fear if he still had a body.