Edge of Eons: A Cultivation Novel (The Adept Archives: Book 1)

by Darren Hultberg Jr

  The minoragarwa pivoted and charged, bearing its claws for a final time as it prepared for a killing blow. Roy’s muscles tightened and his finger twitched, launching the sphere of void energy like a shot from a rifle!

  The beast leaped as the tiny sphere pierced its belly, and for a split-second Roy wasn’t certain if it would be enough. Then the creature screeched as scales and guts flew out of the giant-sized hole in its back. It tried to rise on its hind legs, but its wounds were too grievous, and it folded over itself, quite dead.

  Roy let out a painful sigh as a cloud of essence rose from the minoragarwa’s body and floated into his chest, easing the pain in his wounds. A pair of notifications appeared in his field of vision.

  //////////

  Soul Essence obtained

  //////////

  //////////

  Compiling data…

  Compiling…

  Unique skill discovered!

  Skill obtained: Aura Bullet

  //////////

  Roy grinned as he fell to his back and waved away his notifications. Aura Bullet… that had a nice ring to it. As he propped himself up on his elbows, Roy eyed the return of Remley and Quinn. Each of the men had splatterings of greenish blood on their boots, tunics, and faces. This was likely from the giant reptilian corpse that rested on Rem’s shoulder… the body of a minoragarwa that was nearly twice the size of the one he had faced!

  “Sorry, Roy boy,” Remley said with reluctance. Mamma-garwa here was a bit closer than we realized, and we couldn’t have her intervening during your training.”

  Roy wasn’t certain what surprised him more, the ease with which Remley carried that giant lizard over his shoulder, the way that he and Quinn had disposed of it so quickly, or the fact that he didn’t seem to care that Roy had almost died. And why the hell was he still calling him Roy boy!?

  “We need to get back to town,” Quinn interjected, pulling the void adept from his thoughts. “We don’t want to end up out here after dark. Our power levels will be attracting all kinds of horrors from the veil.”

  Remley nodded and scooped up his sack of training supplies, its remaining contents still a mystery. With a giant lizard on one shoulder and an over-sized satchel on the other, the man looked almost comical.

  Roy forced himself to his feet and his knees immediately began shaking. His body was completely drained of aura and his muscles were taxed. Hell, he wasn’t sure if he could even walk.

  Noticing his struggle, Quinn leaned over and scooped Roy onto his shoulders, drawing a look of ire from the former officer. “Really, you don’t have to-“

  “Just hold on,” Quinn growled, causing Roy’s cheeks to go a bright red. Then, before he could protest any further, the man bolted back towards the city’s gates with him in tow.

  ****

  It wasn’t long before the city was in sight, the dimming light of the worldstar reflecting off its stone walls. Roy was certain he’d regenerated enough energy to walk by now, and he’d told Quinn as much, but the dread hunter seemed to find joy in hauling him around like a sack of meat. Lovely.

  “You did wonderfully, Roy,” Remley said as Quinn finally set him down and the trio re-entered the city. “Now that you’ve got the basics down, we can meditate and process those acquired soul essences of yours. And after that, we can get you started on a specialization. After all, we have a dungeon to delve in just four days’ time!”

  “And I’ll be ready?” Roy asked. “Just like that?”

  Remley gave him a sidelong glance, then reached into his pouch and fished out the leather-bound manual. “Take this,” Rem instructed. “This is a core manual on the many paths and techniques of the void adept, a perfect tool for you to gather a greater understanding of your spirit aura.”

  Roy nodded, leaping from Quinn’s back and in thanks and took the manual in his hands. It was thick and its pages were filled with thousands of runic markings that he couldn’t begin to comprehend. He wasn’t quite sure how he’d begin studying the manual when he couldn’t even read it.

  Disgruntled, Roy flipped to the first page where a large, violet diamond sat etched into the paper. Suddenly, something flickered in his vision and his spirit scan came to life.

  //////////

  Core manual: The Path of the Void Adept

  Level: Beginner

  Would you like to upload?

  Yes / No?

  //////////

  Hesitantly, Roy focused on yes, and what came next quite literally nearly blew his mind. His hands fanned through the manual’s thousands of pages as his eyes scanned every symbol, every marking, every piece of data in front of him. His mind ached something fierce as the spirit scan downloaded the information directly into his brain, as if it were laying the blueprints for his very spirit.

  He shuddered as the book snapped shut in his hands, its data now churning in his head like a storm of pure knowledge. He should’ve collapsed from the pain, should’ve wiped away the blood now leaking from his nostril, but all Roy could do now was smile.

  For in his mind was a wealth of knowledge… skills, techniques, focuses. In Roy’s mind lied a Void adept’s path to power.

  Chapter 11

  The Sky Wolves

  The outskirts of Atherune City, Eon

  Roy’s body was decorated in fresh wounds from his fight with the minoragarwa, but at the moment he couldn’t feel a single one of them. All he could focus on was the vast wealth of knowledge now settling into his mind, the information drawn from the void adept’s manual.

  Base techniques that were a struggle to him just moments ago now seemed like second nature to his ever-evolving spirit. It was as if the manual had given him better control of… himself?

  Suddenly, the spirit scan produced a notification in his vision.

  //////////

  Base skill obtained: Aura Blast

  The adept channels his aura into a focused blast of energy. The more spirit energy used, the more powerful the blast.

  Base skill obtained: Spirit Evocation

  The adept uses a part of his spirit aura to create an object out of spirit energy. At higher levels, the adept can create objects that can follow directions and act of their own accord. (Spirit Evocation evolves into Spirit Summon at higher ranks)

  Base skill obtained: Meditation

  The adept falls into a meditative state, allowing them to cleanse their spirit, increase physical regeneration and refine any soul essence obtained.

  //////////

  Roy gawked at the new set of skills displayed within his vision. Amazingly it had only taken a matter of seconds and there they were, downloaded into his spirit as if they were a part of his DNA. It had happened so fast that he was certain the other two hadn’t even noticed!

  Thoughts began to swirl in Roy’s mind. He had to wonder… Could he do that with any manual? Just pull the knowledge out of them with a scan? If that was the case, then his ascent to power could be relatively quick.

  A hand gripped Roy’s shoulder and gave him a swift yank. “Quit daydreaming,” Quinn muttered, pulling Roy out of the way as a pair of disgruntled merchants passed by with a large, squeaky streetcar at their backs.

  “Yes,” Remley added. “I’m sure the locals are already eyeing you strangely. I mean, every time you return you're covered in blood and filth.”

  “That was your doing!” Roy shot back, dismissing his screens of information until later when he had some privacy. “You’re the one who dragged me into a giant lizard’s den!”

  “Baby lizard,” Remley corrected. “And technically, we dragged it into our den.”

  Quinn stifled a laugh as he gnawed on his reed, guiding the trio through dimming streets. Nightfall was nearly upon Atherune, and the city’s activities were winding to a sudden halt. Still, Roy noticed a larger presence of jade guards on the street than he had before, along with a pair of robed scholars from the Adept’s academy.

  “Whoa, what’s going on?” Remley asked one of the guards as th
e man nearly ran him over in his haste.

  The guard paused to give Rem an odd look, scoffing at the cheery man with the giant lizard on one shoulder and an over-sized sack on the other. “Y-you need to be getting off the streets.” The guard muttered. “Guild captain’s enforcing a curfew. There’s been a murder. Some important diplomat found dead in one of the old monasteries.”

  “Yeah,” a second guard added. “And a handful of stuff went missing outta the academy too. Crazy times.”

  Remley prodded the men for as many details as he could. It was remarkable really, how the man’s odd yet likable demeanor was enough to disarm anyone, even a pair of on-duty jade guards. Roy half wondered if it was just a ploy for Rem to get what he wanted. If that was the case, then Remley was nothing short of a charismatic genius.

  Still, as the guards spouted off what they knew to Remley, Roy noticed a slight change in the man’s posture. It was so subtle that the others likely didn’t even notice, but he was sure that Rem stiffened at the mention of stolen academy goods. The officer’s eyes shifted to the over-sized satchel slung across his shoulder… could it have been him?

  It suddenly dawned on Roy how little he knew of this new crew of his or this realm for that matter. The Sky Wolves had done nothing but help him, so he wasn’t about to distrust them. But still, perhaps after things had settled down, he would need to do a little old-fashioned investigating.

  ****

  After a short trek through the city, the trio ended up back at the Sky Wolves’ humble abode. Upon entering, Remley heaved the massive minoragarwa corpse off his shoulder and slapped it on the main room’s round table.

  “You're disgusting,” Leila said as she entered from one of the side-room doors, a look of contempt on her otherwise flawless face. “That thing will have this place smelling like shit in no time.”

  “Not if we cook it!” Remley responded, a wide grin on his face.

  Leila gave him a quick scowl. “Not if you cook it, Rem... I’ve got things to do,”

  As Leila made her way towards the back of the room another woman emerged from the far door. She carried an elegance with her as she entered, each step taken so softly as to barely make a sound. Her hair was a greenish blue, its length ending just above her shoulder. She wore a simple tunic and plain shorts that ended at mid-thigh, along with a thick sash that looked uncomfortably tight, its ends dangling from the center of her back. Oddly, the woman didn’t wear shoes but instead had her feet and hands wrapped into cloth etched with various runes.

  Roy glanced at her face. She wore a smile similar to Remley’s, though the bit of snark he typically carried was absent. For the briefest of seconds the woman glanced back at him and their eyes locked onto one another. Roy suddenly felt a strange sensation in his spirit, as if the two had shared some sort of unseen connection, as if their souls had touched. It felt familiar and warm, and brought comfort to the man’s aura. Hell, it even took a second for Roy to realize his lips had begun to part as he stared. Had... had he been gawking?

  “Oh, a newbie!” the woman said, leaping over to Roy. Welcome aboard!”

  “Thanks, but I can take care of my-,” Roy began to say before she extended her arms and wrapped them around his waist in an embrace. He could feel his eyes bulging as the woman hugged him tightly, and he was certain that if he didn’t reinforce his body his ribs would break. He could also feel her aura entwining with his. In it he could feel her kindness, her strength of will, her pureness of heart. Though no words were shared, it was the most powerful form of communication that Roy had ever felt. He almost wondered what she felt from him, but felt it was an odd thing ask…

  And there was the fact that she was still squeezing him really, really tightly.

  Roy let out an embarrassed cough as she released him. “Nice to meet you,” he managed to choke out, though it was more of a wheeze than actual spoken words.

  “Ah, the gang’s all here,” Remley said. “Roy, this is Kimoura, the muscle of the group.”

  She smiled a bit wider before waltzing over to examine Rem’s latest kill. Roy used the opportunity to give her a scan.

  //////////

  Kimoura

  Light Adept

  Rank: 2nd

  Specialization: Battle Monk

  Divine Power: None

  //////////

  Monk... Roy assumed that meant she fought with her hands. That would make sense, given the woman’s immense strength. Satisfied, he dismissed the window and took a seat in one of the nearby chairs as Remley brought him another pill for his wounds. Afterward, the flame adept went to work skinning the minoragarwa carcass for the group’s evening feast.

  Roy sat and observed as members of the Sky Wolves moved about the simple house, studying their mannerisms, their attitudes towards one another, and toward him. Remley seemed as talkative as ever, eager to verbally spar with anyone that entered his cooking area. Quinn mostly ignored the man, reed hanging from his mouth as he read from a leather manual, while Leila peppered Rem with sarcastic remarks.

  Then there was Kimoura, who floated about the room, all the more eager to chat with anyone that would give her a chance. In fact, she kept Roy quite busy, questioning him on where he was from, what he knew, and how many darkbeasts he thought he could kill in ten minutes time. It was surprising really, how unguarded the woman was… but then again, she could probably break him in half in a moment’s notice.

  The second she stepped away, Roy let out a deep sigh, as if he finally had a second to breathe. His gaze lingered on the others as he thought back on the events of the past day and his current situation. He’d nearly died more than once since he’d arrived in Eon, but here with these people, he felt something…. Safety, perhaps? They had all treated him well for the most part (not counting being fed to a giant lizard) and had even taken him in as a preliminary member of their crew. And then there was Remley…. Just something about that man and his cheery disposition was soothing to Roy, like a foil to his anger. He had to admit that he generally liked having the man around. Perhaps, right now this was where Roy was meant to be.

  Content for the first time in what seemed like days, the officer leaned back in his chair and enjoyed the room’s commotion.

  ****

  After devouring the massive lizard in what had to have been record time, the group settled in around their large wooden table, Leila standing at its head. “Alright men, listen up,” she said, seemingly ignoring Kimoura’s presence. Plans have changed. From what Remley and Quinn have gathered, it looks like someone else might have acquired a location on our dungeon… which means we need to speed things up. We’ll have enough to handle with the darkbeasts and whatever the hell else is hiding in there. We don’t need to be dealing with another guild as well,” she paused to take a glance at each member of the team, lingering for an extra second on Roy. “That’s why we’re diving in a day’s time.”

  Remley and Kimoura both nodded in agreement, smiles stretched across each of their respective faces. Roy remained silent. Quinn, however, nearly spit his reed out of his mouth. “That’s a hell of a risk, Lei,” Quinn said, eyeing her scrupulously. “We’re practically going in a man short, what with how green this one is,” he rose an arm and gestured to Roy who immediately rose from his seat.

  “I can take care of myself,” the former officer growled, his void aura flaring with his annoyance.

  “Give me a break, kid,” Quinn replied, talking down to Roy as if the man were a child. “You’ve barely scratched the surface on what kind of horrors lurk in this realm. You're liable to get us all killed.”

  “You don’t know what the hell I’ve seen!” Roy shot back. Sure, he wasn’t very experience in hunting down monsters, but humanity had unveiled some real horrors all their own.

  Suddenly, Leila rose to her feet and gave each of them a stare that sent them into a state of immediate silence. “Quiet, both of you,” she ordered, her voice firm and resolute. “I am not going to miss out on another potential relic.
Whoever is after this thing is serious… they even went as far as to kill our informant and her troop of guards. We are dungeon diving in one day. That gives you all one cycle of the worldstar to prepare. As for Roy, he is Remley’s disciple and therefore his responsibility. If he doesn’t make it, then so be it,”

  Roy gave the woman a stubborn glare. What the hell was that supposed to mean?

  Quinn gnawed on his reed a few more times and sighed. “And if he compromises the safety of the rest of the group?”

  Leila rolled her eyes. “If you don’t think you can take care of yourself, then you need to cross your name off our guild charter and go juggle apples on the street.”

  Quinn let out a huff then slowly leaned back in his chair, resigning from the discussion for now.

  “Alright, it's settled then,” Leila reiterated. “Get your gear in order, then I want you all resting your body and your spirit. In one day, we dungeon dive.”

  Chapter 12

  Paths of the Void Adept

  Home of the Sky Wolves, Atherune City

  As twilight took its grasp on Eon, Roy sat on the blanket of his makeshift cot, eyes tracing the cracks in the cream-colored ceiling of his sleeping quarters. The day had been long and full of trials… and from what it sounded like, the coming days were destined to be even longer. Still, he somehow couldn’t find a way to sleep. Something was churning inside of him, preventing his body from achieving a complete state of rest.

  Suddenly, Remley entered the room, a soft, welcoming smile on his face. “Can’t sleep, Roy boy?”

  Roy shook his head. That damn nickname…. “No,” he ultimately responded. “I’ve got this odd feeling… like my spirit is restless or something.”