When I awoke, my mind connected to the ether, and all of my memories flooded once again. I knew the day, the time, and the reason I was here.
I looked down at the small flesh sack and saw one muster his soul as he sent a wave out he cannot control it, but he had ether also... he used his soul to override his fear, making his already hurt vessel crack worse. what a pity he had potential. Maybe after a few hundred years, he could have given you a battle little fox.
Opening my eyes to the image, a lacking metal Golem turned into a Dome, covering those three kids behind him.
It seems that was what he had. Enough Soul Force for that small golem hardened into a crystal of an almost black hue...
Ah, you tainted that soul I see... called on a demon for power in these seconds, disgusting child. I shall kill you before you are allowed to propagate that vile energy that clouds you.
I raised my hand to kill that boy only to feel a pinch in my chest, and it seemed I missed something?
This boys mind cleared as I watched that black hue Bend to his Word. The Golem was not altered mentally but just physically... it seems it was not a big alteration either. was it general thought, or was this child's will strong enough to bend that berserker energy to his will...
well, it seems I have a play toy for a single moment of my infinitesimal hell.
" Wake!"
With my one word, this boys eyes lit as he stood up like the good little minion he shall become.
his eyes turned to its natural light as his mind awoke also.
" What happened? Have I died? are my they okay!?"
he spun his neck while his body wouldn't move he could only see a glimpse of the Dome that Golem had made. his eyes closed as he took in a breath, He turned back to me, receiving a small smile from his face his eyes went cold.
Yes, this is the look I want that doesn't know bloodlust just yet the one I can mold and Mire into my Pawn Mm this Mind will do Nicely.
" You will become my apprentice, and as for those children, they can be your first subordinates bond to you to die for me."
His eyes flickered with a dark light as he spoke calmly. He bowed as his smile returned.
" No Master, they will land, and we will go our separate ways. I will not tolerate you touching them."
I felt a pin hit my mind as I flicked it away mentally.
" Fine, I will think about it."
wait, that isn't what I was going to say. I was going to say... what was that again.
" What did you just do, boy?"
I put my hand to his throat and felt his body shivering he dropped to his knees as I let him go.
" You would waste what soul You have left, harming that vessel just to try influencing me. do you not know your place?"
" That's nothing. If I have to give my life, it's still not enough to pay the price of letting them die. If I can make you agree at the cost of my soul, then I will use every last drop of power it has."
I looked at his eyes, and it seemed like I had seen them somewhere before. A memory flashed in my mind from a few million years ago.
Paleo, My first apprentice had those eyes the same as him.
those silver sheens were not real, but that look of wanting to break the universe.
" I have noticed a look that you have. what gives you the right to look at a Transcendant like that?"
His eyes did not falter as he met my gaze.
" I don't know... I felt the shock from your bloodlust. the next thing I know, I felt eyes. In my soul looking at me, they pierced me deep but stared at me before, I knew it. I was ripping it apart, screaming at you. although it was just useless. I did the unthinkable something that I don't think I can ever revert."
That child is no longer his it seems the Tassles of the connection are slowly burning out. why? this is the first time I've heard of this ever happening.
" What has happened to the connection?"
" I think I overloaded it with mana unconsciously, and when I shocked it with my soul command, it followed that order beyond my Control. It evolved beyond me..."
He knows the technicalities of what he did... What is this boy? I can hear the ether screaming around him. haah, this situation may not be so simple.
" Fine, let's do this. I have not had a drink in a few thousand years. Give me one, and I will impart my decision after our peaceful meeting."
He hadn't expected it, so when I released my Ether hold on him, he had begun to sink further down as he acted like he was puddy. I snickered at him. My hand moved on. it's not exactly an issue but that Golem had reacted to his movement, thinking it was an attack it reacted. I put on pressure looking at it, the golem froze.
" I will not harm you, nor will this child, but you will not act again, and we will calmly make peace over a drink."
The golem Shivered and Replied as the boys eyes showed pure fear. it was understandable as the golem that was just its friend had just tried to kill him. the small metal spear retracted from in front of his face.
I picked him up, walking past the golem.
it morphed into a humanoid, picking up all three kids each in a set of arms it had made from its metal body.
I pulsed out mana as I made my way through this ship.
I found a small hatch as I floated my body through it using gravity mana. it had been a while since I had been able to flex my mana. The metal Golem cot to the ladder and just stared at it but quickly adapted by growing more arms and climbing.
I smirked at it, but none the less this golem is now soul bound to those children's safety...
I can see the Streams of Mana through the soul connections.
I found the biggest room, which had tables and chairs, a bit uncomfortable with the shape, but none the less it is sitting means. I set the boy down the golem laid the children into metal hammocks that it formed with its body it mended to the back wall watching us carefully.
I pulsed my soul force and my mana out in waves. Searching my vicinity for anything notable. besides a planet two or three days away at the current speed. I sensed nothing special besides a mana Wave that was carrying a Manabeast. it had already passed the planet a few hours ago. no troubles, it seems they survived the mana tide.
I looked at this boy next to me and sighed he had gained some motion of control as he looked at the machines behind me.
" Those there can make anything you want. You just have to know the name."
I looked at the machine with skepticism...
" Longmont mountain herb With gold mint and golden Lily milk Lightly roasted and steeped. strained through ice mana."
the machine beeped and slowly. Producing a Jade cup, a liquid of gold filled the cup. my face twisted at the cup, and the smell was like home.
" Two stein cups of sake, Two Whiskey on rocks, two burgers, two pizza pieces, and two large bowls of Ramen."
My breath caught in my throat as I looked at the kid who stood up!?
Had I done something wrong.
" No Master, you just have to take the items out the plater rack for the next to be made it will list up to a hundred items at once. We have some big eaters on our planet, so do not worry."
I have no trouble with that, I will use this as the best thing ever.
The table was fuller than I had intended, but this boy never questioned the items I pulled out of this machine?
" So what has been going on since I fell asleep, It has been what two thousand or so years?"
" I don't get what you mean, Master. I am unsure what planet you are even from."
I thought for a moment before answering that, I was from earth before the first mana tide awakened our planet. I was on that earth for so many years...
" I am from Earth, the Sol systems original prime planet that was when back when science was only our main focus. Then, the mana tide struck our planet. Hell, I spent a few hundred years. Toiling in my infinite there was a few times I thought I was just mortal, but that was stripped from me when I was trapped by the ether demons."
I looked at the table. This was probably too much for a child to hear, so why am I talking about this? Why am I holding him so highly...
" Master can I ask a personal question?"
I looked at him but didn't reply his mouth moved a few times, but his words felt like a knot over my throat.
" Master could it be you know something about me that I am missing?"
" No, that's not it. although it is not troubling me, I feel calm, and I have not felt that in half a million or more years. My anger from the berserk pain of ether has been calmed!? that's it boy how are you calming the ether!?"
he eyes went dull and Then came clear he spoke to me.
" It seems I felt bad for you, and that means I cared for you, so my blessing calms you. it works on anyone I deem to have care for good or bad..."
I felt like my mind was clear even more important than that the ether madness has been cured. That means that if I was to genuinely help this child, I may be able to meet another Transcendant state.. it happened to be a beneficial relationship for both of us, even if I was... only for a few years if I was able to keep this clarity. then no person will ever be able to contract me or control me again. no one will ever be able to seal me either!
" I am Rose Equinox, or as this universe calls me Zero Eleven. I am The Eleventh Prime Being Who has overcome a transformation was sealed by a planetary sacrifice they locked my physical body, but my mental body wondered the universes gathering knowledge and power. None of which you are capable of founding as you are now, but how does this work for you. Instead of running, I wish to take it easy this lifetime with you. I will, with these next few days, heal those cracks in your vessels, but that egg has gone dormant once again. and you have no room to hold it, nor are you strong enough to bend that soul you have left."
His eyes went downcast as he Harumphed he Didn't bulk at me Instead he asked me a question that only Tamers ask.
" Will I be able to ever tame them or hatch them? if I have to, I will give them to someone who can..."
I shook my head as I answered him.
" No, you will one day be able to tame them, but not in time to hatch them, although the pod I was in can get you the results you need to extend that time."
he did not hesitate as he shook his head in silence.
" Fine, then let us eat, and then when the kids wake up, I will go ahead and train you all. for now, we will begin the Master/ apprentice pact. it will take a lot of stamina and will cause you a lot of pain, especially with a soul so weak..."
I pushed a glass of whiskey and one of sake to him, then nodded at the bowl.
" Eat! drink! then we will begin!"
it was good to eat food once again after so long, although I was sure that this was no longer the universe I was born in i can feel that at the very least, yet that food processor was rather close to my current idea of the actual foods I wanted although I noticed the differences and the mana infusion of the machine. it was subtle, but I can tell the difference.
for now, it doesn't matter which universe I am in. The only thing that matters is that I am alive in this universe, and I have clarity over the Ether.
Which brings me to the next step.
" So kid, what known energies are there in this universal spectrum?"
he thought for a moment but brought his hand up, then began to name then off.
" There is The Cultivation sourced, Magic sourced, technological sourced, and there is three external sourced. they are soul force, mental force, and mystery force. of which I am not too sure about I only know this because of the Ravenna Species. it is them who have documented it they taught in school in my last year. my family was unable to continue paying for educational services. but my parents gave me everything I needed to know about living and working, so I am fine with my current knowledge. Why do you ask master?"
I kind of share some sympathy for that. I was rather rich growing up because of my parents giving me everything. they sacrificed for years, not knowing that the apocalyptic hell that followed would mold me into a class above the rest. I became Transcendant by accident but have pulled my weight ever since.
" Well, the first thing to do is Bleed."
I grabbed his hand, stabbing his thumb with my nail, causing a drop of blood to form. doing the same for me, I allow the mana to guide my blood.
" Think of imbuing mana into that drop of blood that mana should take a property, place unto it the will of a master and servant contract the mana and Ingredients will do the rest."
I looked at him before shaking my head.
" Seeing as I am the Stronger Powered being I naturally will be the master of this contract."
I puffed my chest out smuggly, knowing this was the way of nature as the will of the universe took into consideration that beings, so the mana circuit works the details out as it forges a contract for the people as long as the ingredients and sufficient amount of mana are used. the little things like Master/servant, master/slave, master/student, So on, and so forth some contracts only require mana but for most People a simple drop of blood is enough. oftentimes, when a Guild or a royal covenant does a contract, they need substitutes or more to solidify them.
" We simply need to think clearly about the contract as being one of Master/Student. After that, my imposed force will either mend or break you. from there, it is up to you. How you survive and come out of this is dependent upon you. although it will take longer than we have, I apologize for failing to judge the position."
the boys eyes rolled back into his head as I pulled from my storage space. A blue bead about the size of a thumb nail fell into my hand. I slapped my hand to his chest, watching as the bead infused into his chest. It lighting up his mana veins as I watched the now discolored drop of crystal mana crumble to dust as he absorbed it greedily.
I pulled out more for kick as I sat back. I chose to periodically flick them at him, watching them fade and crumble. before my boredom put me into slumber, I was kind to that child. I put his egg into the sleeping chamber. That way, his companion unborn will live to be born.
those kids did not wake up because of my pressure... it seems I must learn to repress it so as not to kill them incidentally. I think it has only been about seven thousand years since I have been in the presence of children. even I, as a master cultivator, must learn new tricks to cover. let's see, after a few checks of our range, it seems that the ship will arrive sometime tomorrow, which gives me a reasonable amount of time before I wake them all up.
Time to cultivate some minor skills!
training montages are awesome, but you're not getting one here! it's nothing physical it's just been so long. I have to stretch my practical use over the skills. especially when I have been dormant for so long... why don't I make my first goal finding that sweet little child who gave me my milk that put me into that wicked slumber! he will die a slow death full of screaming when I find him. That follows with that sorry apprentice of mine. He shall be writhed from his flesh before I consume his soul.
I caught myself hearing the kids choke, noticing my aura. I snapped it away, locking it into my cores. This rage will silly with my feelings as I repress it for now. If this child can make anything more than fodder, I would have him take oaths more serious than his predecessor. not all of my apprentices met the master realm, so I wonder how many actually became Transcendant? Alas, that would mean I have to actually work at looking...
" Meh, too much work!"
I said these words, hearing this vessels thrusters fire off, and it brought me back to reality. I made myself rise as I began to call out to the kids.
"Alright brats Wake up!"
I watched as two. Shot up scrambling, and two seemed groggy but made no effort.
" Two boys, two girls, this is not a promising game. but none the less it is what it is."
my apprentice looked at me, blinking a few times.
" Master has something changed about you?"
I put my hands over my chest, squeezing twice before replying.
" Nope, all is normal. Although it appears we are about to land. we have close to an hour, some Preparation are in order. you two girls will gather equipment. Boys, you will begin packing important items only. The first priority is to teach you all spacial magic. alternatively, though, you all are linked with that Golem. like the secondary thought of putting him into the newly formed soul realm you three share. you can also store other things, give or take advantage of its size. I can see you have already been able to store and remove it from said soul space. just do exactly the same thing with objects, and you will figure it out rather quickly."
My first lesson is to not rely on elders!
I see these kids have potential in that, so it won't be too hard, but you can not teach one to use common sense. It's like that old proverb. you can lead a horse to water, but you can't force it to drink.
well, whatever the time has come, this ship is landing.
let's do this...
" Apprentice Front and Center!!"
incredible all four lined up, but without mercy, I grabbed that boy by his hair.
" This is my apprentice, You three share in that realm, but I will not teach you. I will teach this child for the four of you, and He will impart unto you lessons I deem Fit for you. it is up to you three to reach the potential I expect of my students' companions! no one present will be a burden, I will go dormant inside that boys' soul space for a few months to further his healing process. do not disturb me, or I may kill him, and I in this situation. And try not to kill yourself. You may have gone through my purification, but it has not finished until you are able to cycle out the impurities."
without much thought, I grabbed that boys ear, making him look at me. forcing my way into his soul, I created a small space beside his soul realm. with that, I stashed my aura and physical body, too. it was one of the easiest methods for travel.
hearing the ship shift as it entered an atmospheric pressure, the ships deciding where and how we land made me laugh. If you wanted to be Quant about it, that was not the case as the ship did a dull burn to slow down. Leaving a bright beacon of fire and being highly noticeable.
That means this situation has become trouble. Hopefully, I won't have to protect these children. it would waste too much power to extract myself, then kill someone...
TO BE CONTINUED. DUN DUN DUNNNNN Nah, I am just joking, although it's not exactly a lie. I won't be able to do much interaction while I am helping this boys' soul mend. so I got a few minutes, and I am going to use it to my fullest.
" Okay, you four! I have a task for you. I will go dormant once we land on this planet, so you all have to be level-headed and not get emotional! What happens can't be all that bad, so try going with the flow and use common sense!"
" Yes, Leader!"
All four spoke in unison, and my memory faded into my mind it was a vision of my original planet, all of my friends and family, welcoming me into the clan head position after I became Transcendant... it hurt me that no one tried to approach me and see how I was. Not even my closest family looked at me the same after I gained traction in the clan leaders' position.
" Mm. I don't like that. Just call me lady Equinox or Miss E. It is fine also."
They all nodded in sync and spoke up without hesitation.
" Yes, lady, Equinox!"
where did these children come from, and why is it I have no memory of the last year... it's blocked by something, but I don't sense anything different. this body isn't my original one. This body failed to enter a Transcendant state, allowing me to spawn my own soul here using ether. That being said, was I drawn here by this boy, or was this pure coincidence!?