Xeris found a seat and watched as the ground below him moved by. This reminded him of a plane; however, it moved through the air like a giant ship cutting through the ocean. The building moved smoothly in the air. It was only by looking out the window that one could tell they were moving.
Time passed, and after a few hours, large amounts of food and water were provided to them. Xeris inspected his food for a moment before eating. He was surprised to find that the food served was very similar to the food eaten on Earth.
Xeris could not be sure of the exact contents, but it was clear what the food was modeled after. He initially thought, after eating, that something tasted off, but that taste was gone as quickly as it had come. Looking back at his food, he thought that his world, Earth, must be known by a large number of people here.
A few more hours passed before the interior of the building changed. From the walls, hanging beds emerged, pushing themselves outward.
Xeris looked outside the window; the sun had just started its descent. He made his way over with a few of the other students, claiming his bed and sitting down.
That night Xeris did not sleep. Despite knowing that if the people who were referred to as cultivators wanted to hurt him, there was not much he would be able to do to stop them. That still did not mean he would leave himself vulnerable to be attacked. He also had to consider the other students. These people, he could likely defend against; however, if he was sleeping, he would be at a major disadvantage.
Morning came, and Xeris rose from his bed, stepping into the large open room of the flying building. People seemed to have calmed down quite a bit after a night of rest. It was likely a part of the sect's plan, getting students to lower their guards.
Another round of food and drinks were served to the students before they were all called onto another layer of the building. Here there was another large open section; however, it was clearly designed to be some sort of stage. Students filled into the seating, and after a moment, Xeris watched as the institution head from the day before walked out onto the center of the stage.
"Hello, my name is Eldric. You all may call me Director Eldric. I am the head of the institution you all will be attending soon. I know there is a lot to unpack, so please be patient and save your questions."
Xeris was completely focused on what this person had to say. This was crucial, this would be the first real information he would have received since their transmigration.
"There are two truths you must grasp to live in this world." Director Eldric spoke as he lifted a hand. A dim radiance pulsed above his palm.
"This is called an Aris. It is a basin of energy that exists not in flesh, but in soul. When your essence connects to one of the two great currents – the Day or the Night – that basin forms. Only then can it hold power."
A few students exchanged uncertain looks.
Eldric's smile didn't waver. "Do not worry if it sounds distant. In time, you will feel it for yourselves."
The light faded. He lowered his hand and continued, "The second truth lies beyond you, that is the Myr."
Xeris's gaze sharpened.
"Myr are the cultivators' ultimate tool. You see, the energy produced in the Aris is not just for show; this energy is what is used to control Myr." Eldric paused for a moment, "Myr come in many forms. They are creatures that contain life. They can resemble animals, insects, plants, or just about anything that you can imagine. Every one of them has special abilities and can be refined by us cultivators, allowing us to harness their power as our own."
So the Aris is a small world with a magical basin of energy that exists inside the soul. The energy produced can be used to subdue these creatures called Myr, which allows the cultivator to use the Myr's power for themselves. Huh, this is interesting…
Xeris looked around at some of the other students. Most were scratching their heads, looking confused, but they all seemed to be intrigued. This was a foreign and abstract concept that had just been thrown at them; it was natural that they did not understand.
Most people struggled to learn and understand concepts that surrounded them in their everyday life on Earth. It was not entirely their fault, humans by nature are intelligent when compared to the other life forms on Earth; however, all humans contain high levels of ignorance and naivety – some more than others.
Xeris was someone who was naturally gifted and had been praised by many for his talent. However, he only applied himself to the things he found interesting. There were many such things, and he was constantly exploring and growing.
Mental expansion, both self and world understanding was something of interest to him, so he was well-grounded in who he was as a person. This subtracted from his overall ignorance, but after transmigration, he could not help but think of a quote from a philosopher on Earth. "The more I know, the more I realize I know nothing." Socrates had understood the paradox of knowledge perfectly. Thinking that one truly understood all of something was the biggest indicator of naivety.
Director Eldric was still talking, "I understand that these are complex concepts. In due time, you all will understand. I do, however, need to inform you that you all have already been affected and have changed from a Myr since you have been on this ship. This Myr is called Language Myr and is used to change the target's ability to understand any language. Unlike Understandment Myr, Language Myr's effect is permanent. From this point forward, you will never need to worry about language barriers when speaking to others."
So that is what I noticed when I was eating, I couldn't explain it at the time; however, something did change inside me. This must mean that the Understandment Myr that Draven used has a multitude of other abilities; otherwise, why wouldn't he just use Language Myr on all of us.
The Director spoke more on these topics before reaching the point in which he explained where they were going and what would happen to them.
"Right now, we are heading toward your new home, the 2nd Institution of Halcyon. Here you will be taken great care of. We will not only provide you with the resources needed to be successful in this world, we will be giving you a proper education and training environment. We will teach you all about this world and support your growth. Once you awaken your Aris, you will get specialized classes and training."
They speak as if they are our benefactors. Resources. Education. Training.
All sugar-coated bait.
But what is the price? What is their true motive?
Halcyon Sect isn't raising us out of kindness. They have gone through too much trouble – transporting us, feeding us, teaching us. Why? Only a fool believes such generosity is free.
The answer is simple. We are an investment.
They fatten us with resources now, only to send us charging to our deaths later. Like pigs raised for slaughter.
In the end, we are nothing more than tools. A resource to be consumed.
…..
Xeris opened his eyes again, staring back out into the night sky. He watched the rain push itself in waves against his window.
It had been 5 days since they had arrived at the institution. Since then, he had been in constant reflection, reliving the previous days meticulously, pondering these new ideas of Aris and Myr.
They had arrived at the institution, it was a cluster of towering white structures that gleamed beneath the afternoon light. At its heart stood the central building, a massive spine of stone and glass that housed the dining halls, study rooms, and the library's endless tiers.
Two long wings stretched from the center like open arms. The first and third floors of each were lined with classrooms, their corridors running far into the distance. Between them, the second floor had no windows at all, serving as a sealed level for storage and training.
Behind the main complex rose two taller buildings, their shapes curving upward like twin blades. These were the dormitories. Each student had been assigned a private room, complete with its own bath and a set of white school robes folded neatly on the bed.
Beyond the walls, the institution's lawns stretched toward a distant village. Xeris only had a second to catch a glance at it before entering the institution but could see part of it from his room.
From his fifth-floor window the walls looked modest, yet they made it clear that comfort and confinement often shared the same space.
The time since they had arrived had been exceptionally laid back. They were told that they had this entire week to get accustomed to their new environment before their classes would start.
Xeris spent much of his time exploring the grounds, though unlike most students, he wasn't sightseeing. He studied details – the flow of people, the layout, the subtle order behind it all. The guards at the gates weren't cultivators but ordinary men, placed there not to protect the students, but to keep them in.
The only rule the Director had set, so far, was that no students were allowed to leave the institution grounds. Xeris had also seen more and more people, who he assumed to be instructors, arriving.
He was keeping an eye and tabs on multiple people, trying to find weak points and places he could take advantage of.
In 2 days, the week would be over, and their classes would start up. They would be allowed access to the resources, such as the library. Xeris was looking forward to finding out what he would discover in the upcoming days.
After glancing one final time at the dark, abyss-like night, he turned over in his bed and closed his eyes. The only noise was that of the rain and thunder. The rain fell on. For the first time since arriving, his mind was still.