The Oracle Paths

958 Cekt's Disciples (part 2)

Jake and the others next cast their eyes upon final two disciples that Cekt had yet to introduce. Their contrasts couldn't be more striking. As they pondered who Wendok would unveil next, the second disciple stepped forward. the

"I am Rigel Ironcore, the second disciple of Master Cekt." A voice that echoed like the rumble of shifting tectonic plates emerged from the cracked crevice that served as his mouth.

Rigel embodied the resilience of the mineral world. Towering at a lofty height of four meters, he possessed an anchored calm. His body, a captivating tableau of interlocking stones and crystals, shimmered in hues of metallic gray, cobalt blue, and deep emerald green. His eyes, twin radiant crystals, glowed with unwavering light, reflecting his steadfast spirit. His form, rugged and rough-hewn, bore an alien beauty a testament to nature's majestic artistry.

Cekt, noting his usually reticent disciple had stolen the spotlight, felt a pang of discontent.

Regardless, he promptly redirected the attention back onto himself and continued the introductions as planned.

"Rigel is a Gorgonite, as you may have guessed, hailing from the mineral races. His power lies in geokinesis, the ability to shape and control all manner of rocks and minerals, particularly gems and crystals. It may seem rudimentary, but the Mirror Universe, especially in areas where the Aether density exceeds 100,000 units, is teeming with gems and minerals possessing extraordinary properties. The basic Earth Manipulation that many boast of is typically powerless against these objects due to the powerful force fields they emit. Rigel, however, suffers no such limitations.

"His primary field of research is planetary geology, specifically of planet-ships like B842. As an Aetherist, he aspires to create one of these planets and unravel its many mysteries. If he succeeds, he will become a formidable Aetherist, both in battle and in technical expertise. You should know that planet-ships are not created by Aetherists, but by the Oracle, or the Mirror Universe itself if you prefer. Creating planets from scratch is within the capabilities of the Ancient Designers and many Evolvers, according to their abilities. However, these planet-ships, resulting from the perfect fusion of several Dark Universe's Seed Worlds, remain exclusive to the Oracle."

Jake and the others viewed the Gorgonite differently, albeit for disparate reasons. Jake, indeed, was impressed by such a lofty ambition, but what truly puzzled him was his preconceived notion that the construction of these giant planets was not as profound a mystery.

In the simplest of terms, it was merely several small universes roughly fused together. If that was all there was to their construction, it wouldn't pose any problem. However, their design touched upon all the physical and Aetheric laws possible in the Mirror Universe.

Time, space, void, gravity, formations, barriers mastery of each arcane was required to hope to create a functional, habitable planet, not just a chaotic mass of matter where all sorts of cosmic environments collide. -

Even if they succeeded, the issue of gravity remained. Forming a planet with such a monstrously high mass should logically result in crushing gravity. Then, an autonomous energy system capable of maintaining the barriers isolating each biome and ecosystem from each other must be created.

The amalgamation of different worlds was a nightmare in itself, due to the different flow of time in each Seed World relative to the new planet-ship being created.

Rigel's ambition was not minor by any stretch of the imagination. Despite their knowledge that the Gorgonite may be biting off more than he could chew, Cekt had no intention of dissuading him. For even if Rigel failed, the journey itself would be enough to shape him into an exemplary Aetherist.

In every world and culture, the same adage held true: If one had the audacity to aim for the moon, they could still end up among the stars, even in failure.

With Rigel's introduction complete, there remained but one disciple to introduce, the first of Cekt's latest generation of apprentices. a year prior, he alone was qualified to be on the receiving end of Cekt's teachings. A genuine Rank 1 Aetherist.

This distinction indicated he could invent his own Aether Spells, had at least one unique spell, and knew how to extract and transfer a bloodline.

Cekt signaled the second luminous being to step forward. This one glowed with a radiance encompassing the entire visible spectrum, setting him apart from Lyra's white light. Cekt announced with an appreciative smile, "Behold Epsilom Bolt, a Zephyrim, and my first and only true disciple among you."

This being was a breathtaking spectacle. His form, entirely of pulsating energy, radiated in a plethora of vibrant colors that ebbed and flowed with his mood and power. His body, lacking any concrete physical structure, constantly shimmered and shifted like a sentient aurora. He moved with swift, fluid motions, leaving iridescent trails of energy in his wake. His eyes, twin sparks of electric blue, flickered with a wild fervor mirroring his volatile nature.

"Hi," the alien casually greeted, raising a hand. His speech was starkly contrasting to his extraordinary appearance, relaxed and informal, akin to bumping into a friend on the street. His voice, however, crackled like thunder, a chorus of energy echoing and forming a haunting symphony.

Compared to the other disciples, his aura and the passive spiritual pressure he emitted were in a league of their own. Jake felt a sense of threat as he sized him up, a feeling he hadn't experienced with the others.

To his surprise, Epsilom harbored similar thoughts. This was unusual for him as he had hardly ever experienced such a sharp sense during his Ordeals.

Cekt showed nothing, but inwardly, he rejoiced, noting the mutual surprise of his most promising disciples. Epsilom needed this stimulus to continue his meteoric rise. If he believed his position unshakeable, it would do him no good beyond temporarily stroking his ego.

"Epsilom, like Lyra, is also a being of pure energy," the elder gremlin calmly explained, noticing their fascinated expressions. "But unlike the Sylians, who belong to the family of Light Elementals, Zephyrims are royalty among the Ethereal Races. If one were to compare him to Lyra, he could roughly be qualified as an Energy Elemental. Light is not the only thing he has absolute control over, and his immunities extend to energy in general. In the Mirror Universe, many consider them unkillable. Regrettably, in light of recent events, this is clearly no longer the case... Cough... Unlike the vast majority of species, Zephyrims are cosmic beings born spontaneously from the universe itself. Each one is unique and they are by default infertile. It's truly fortunate and coincidental for me, and for you all, to have encountered one here on B842."

"I am the one who is fortunate to have met you, Master," Epsilom immediately countered in a solemn voice, a multicolored electric arc crackling from his mouth. "Without you, I'd still be drifting through the cosmic void, ruling over a desolate nebula, believing myself to be alone in the universe."

A smile of contentment tugged at the Wendok's lips at this. There was nothing more rewarding than knowing his disciple appreciated the efforts he'd invested in him. However, through his lengthy experience as a teacher, such gratitude had unfortunately not always been forthcoming.

Many had perished in the Ordeals, or elsewhere, before they could realize their full potential. Some lost the spark that drove them to face adversity, while others fell drastically short of his expectations. Lastly, he had also encountered a fair share of ingrates, the worst of whom had even betrayed him, ending up corrupted by the Digestors.

But, that was all in the past. Regarding his current generation of disciples, he was rather optimistic. He hadn't forced anything, nor had he recruited anyone against their will, yet ironically, this generation of disciples was one of the most exceptional.

A Draconian, a scholarly Vrusug, a Delkron android, two Ethereal Beings, and a human with seemingly limitless potential. Their bloodlines had even reached or exceeded Grade 10 for five of them, with the exception of Syr and Siri.

"So, what's his speciality?" Ulfar broke Cekt's train of thought with the question that was on everyone's mind.

So far, every introduced disciple seemed to have their own area of expertise and ambition to fulfill.

"I don't have one," Epsilom answered directly, unfazed by the disrespectful way Ulfar had referred to him. "I merely learn everything my master teaches me."

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