Hunter stole some time away from his duties in order to help Aruon settle in. He used the opportunity to speak with the young man about whatever he could think of.
“What does technic mean, aside from the obvious?” Hunter asked, “Your people have developed to a significant degree based on what I can tell from the translation device. So why don’t you have the same technical capabilities that we do?”
“As much as I would love for my people to take credit for the universal translator, I’m afraid we cannot. The design of the device has remained the same for over a hundred thousand years, as far as I’ve been told.”
“A hundred thousand years?” Hunter asked, marvelling at the age of their culture, but not without a bit of skepticism, which he decided not to voice. “Can you understand where I’m coming from when I ask why a technic civilization is so novel for you?”
Aruon nodded.
“The answer is quite simple. Our way of doing things is superior — or more direct, you could say. Technic civilizations typically need millennia of uninterrupted progress to finaly discover and manipulate vita. Reaching the same heights as cultivators is then a slow process.
“What heights?” Hunter asked.
“There are heights beyond heights,” Aruon said, “not all who reach the same stage will be equal. Master June is among the strongest in Sabletown, rivaled only by the mayor. This doesn’t mean other Elemental Initiates will be as powerful when they reach his level. The depth of his comprehension of the Path of the Stellar Sword is important. Equally important is the advanced cultivation knowledge from our lost sect that the master brought to with us.”
“What about the levels after Elemental Initiate?” Hunter asked, “What will June become once he — what — ascends to the next level?”
Aruon smirked.
“Ascension is an interesting term, and one that has a relevance to the path of cultivation, but it is not something which I have had the honour of witnessing first hand. Certain cultivators of an advanced stage will reach this threshold of ascension, which acts as both a tribulation and an opportunity to reach an unfathomable level of power.”
Aruon’s smirk turned into something a bit more like an embarrassed smile.
“I’m sorry, that’s all I know about that. But to answer your question, Master will become an Elemental Adept, a level similar to that of the Unbound,” Aruon said. His eyes lit up whenever he spoke of June. He was obviously quite proud of his master.
“That’s the threat he was talking about?” Hunter asked. “If he reaches this level soon, would he be able to deal with it himself?”
“It’s not that easy to reach the next stage,” Aruon said. “Only one in ten aspirants makes it past the foundation stage to become an Elemental Initiate. From what master has told me, of those uncommon few, only a small fraction will reach the peak of the stage. It takes an uncommon will and depth of insight in order to become an Adept.”
Despite his words, Hunter didn’t notice any trace of worries on Aruon’s features. He seemed to have full confidence in his master’s ability to reach whatever level of power an Adept represented.
“Those who have the qualifications to reach the next stage can spend centuries of their life working away at the threshold. Some prodigies from great empires, I hear, can overcome major obstacles in as little as a year, sometimes even less. The same is true with some of the great clans and sects scattered throughout the known worlds. But alas, although Skyhold is abundant in resources, these resources are not quite relevant to our path. We are relying on Master’s comprehension in order to guide us further. Progress is much slower this way, but with diligence, we will reach great heights. It is only a matter of time and opportunity.”
“I have so many questions, but I don’t want to dishonour the boundaries that June set when I asked about seeing your cultivation method. Is there any way we can reach a compromise?”
Aruon was about to speak, and it would have been a refusal based on the guilt Hunter read on his face. But then Aruon hesitated, tilting his head and scratching his chin.
“Like the translation device, whose specific origin I am unsure of, there are certain basic cultivation manuals that you can purchase without angering an organization. These methods are typically limited to the first level of cultivation, and rarely will you find one that guides one beyond the first phase of Elemental Initiate. However, I can ask my master if he owns any such methods. But I warn you he may seek to strike a bargain with it.”
Hunter nodded, somewhat regretful that Aruon didn’t have such a manual on him now, but what did he expect? If someone asked Hunter for a rolling pin, he’d regretfully have to inform them he didn’t habitually carry one. Why would Aruon feel compelled to carry around an inferior cultivation manual to the one he practices?
“I’ll talk to Trey about it as well,” Hunter said, realizing that he had a good reason to do so.
Given the cultivators of Sabletown, and a universe of powerful beings beyond, he couldn’t justify keeping the internal arts a secret. He’d been looking for an excuse to give it to the company. Not only had he now found that opportunity, he’d found a reason to continue using it and maybe even improving it.
“I will send a message to my master,” Aruon said with a small bow.
Hunter wondered if he should return the gesture and erred on the side of caution. He didn’t want to seem impolite, since Aruon had been pretty forthcoming so far and had yet to ask anything in return.
“Now that we’ve established some of the history of my people, I am curious about yours,” Aruon thought, and Hunter cursed himself for being so quick to assume.
“Of course,” Hunter said with a smile which he hoped didn’t seem too forced, “ask away.”
Aruon focused his questions on their technology. He wanted to discuss Cultivation Paths in relation to Oberon Enterprise’s development, but Hunter wasn’t the person to ask. No one from Sanctuary would be able to satisfy Aruon’s curiosity.
Which might be for the best, when he thought about it, because it meant there weren’t many secrets he could inadvertently reveal, except for the basic principles that any industrial age civilization might relate to: combustion, magnetism, and basic electronics. He also talked about the various dimensions of life that their technology improves, from labour, to light sources, warmth, transportation, entertainment and other forms of information technology.
The idea of mass industrial production captivated Aruon. He saw how it could improve the lives of everyone, even those without the ability or opportunity to cultivate. He explained that there were many nations where such innovations could not proliferate, as their leaders wouldn’t allow it. Hunter was grateful that the Sabletowners didn’t appear to hail from such a place, as he wasn’t sure he’d want to deal with anyone representing a tyrannical dictatorship.
Not that they’d have much of a choice, he thought. They were both stuck here, and it was in their best interest not to antagonize a group of Elemental Initiates, which Hunter assumed would be as powerful as any Class-1.
June and Hunter talked about the worlds they came from.
“Does everyone in your society cultivate?” Hunter asked.
“Everyone in Sabletown cultivates to some extent, but it is not always like this in other worlds. There are vast stretches of land where millions of individuals will live full lives and die without ever hearing about the existence of cultivators, or merely believing they are some sort of myth or legend. You’ll find this to be true in most worlds you visit where cultivators live.”
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Hunter found that notion of stratification to be incredibly strange. Beings with such immense power would have to be known throughout their worlds. How could you hide such a thing?
“Do cultivation societies keep to themselves?” Hunter asked.
“In the various capital worlds, no. Cultivation is no secret. But there are many more populated worlds beyond hubs of civilization. The further one travels from those centres, the more sparse the presence of cultivators becomes. Some might luck upon an inheritance, or their region might host a resource of exceptional efficacy which might grant them some path to the peak of the foundation stage. Maybe beyond. To answer your question more succinctly: yes. In the vast majority of known space, cultivation societies are quite insular and rarely have business with mortals.”
Mortals. Such a strange word to use, Hunter mused. It implied a connection between cultivation and immortality.
“Mortals?” Hunter asked, hoping Aruon would elaborate.
“Yes. We deem those who have not passed the initial foundation stages as mortals. Some great sects will even include anyone below the later stages of Elemental Initiate in the mortal classification. There are degrees of mortality, and cultivation is the way for one to strive against their mortal fate and become something even more.”
Aruon finished, content with what he’d shared. But Hunter’s follow-up questions only ended up having them trace old ground, and he didn’t want Aruon to feel like he was being forced to repeat himself.
As much as he enjoyed the conversation with Aruon, he felt the boundaries of what they were both allowed to share, as if it were a tight leash around his neck, chafing at his skin.
He wanted to explore freely. Understanding the Sabletowners usage of etherium ought to be one of Skyhold’s highest priorities. He decided it was worth interrupting Trey from whatever important work he was doing in order to sell the idea to him.
Around a half hour later, he stood at the head of a meeting room.
It was a first for him, calling a meeting with the command staff. Not all the command staff were present at the moment, but Trey gave Hunter the impression that he was both amused and proud that Hunter was throwing his weight around..
“I have a confession to make,” Hunter said in order to start things off, “when I opened up about my sensitivity to etherium, and my fathers research, I may have given you the impression that I was handing over everything that I had.”
Aera nodded. Trey leaned forward eagerly.
“You’re saying there’s more?”
Hunter examined the faces of the small group. Commander Striker hadn’t been a part of that intimate get-together, so he could only look on with polite interest, waiting for Hunter to get to the point.
“Well, I hadn’t planned on giving this away, but when June revealed his people cultivate in order to increase their AR—or whatever their equivalence of AR is — I realized that whatever reasons I had for keeping it to myself had become irrelevant. By not sharing it, I might put us at something of a disadvantage.”
“Come on, Hunter, you know I hate taking the scenic route,” Aera said.
“Well, when I was young, my father promised that he’d cure my AR deficiency. Long story short, he did, and it involves a method that appears to lead to the same ends as cultivation.”
“You little shit,” Aera said, her eyes widened in understanding, a smile forming on her face, then she blushed. “Pardon my language, but I thought it was a little too coincidental that both of us would have such rapid growth. I almost believed some very scandalous things about dad.”
“Excuse me?” Trey said, seeming genuinely offended. “I know exactly what you’re implying, and I will have none of that.”
“Well, what else was I supposed to think? Bringing Hunter into the family, his surprisingly fast growth, your obvious desire to push us together and have us get along. It just made sense. You said that Gideon would spend a lot of time researching and inventing alone, and you knew him long before you knew mom. So I put two and two together—”
“—and arrived at the sum of 22, somehow. No, I did not sleep with my best friend’s wife!” Trey said, and Hunter flinched at the sudden change in his tone.
“Sorry,” Aera said, crossing her arms across her chest and looking more rebellious than sorrowful, “But I know you know that my conclusion wasn’t completely irrational.”
Trey took a deep breath, nodding at Hunter.
“I apologize for my outburst. Recent events are taking a toll, I think,” he said, turning to his daughter, “you’re right, it’s not an entirely unreasonable assumption to make.”
He waved for Hunter to continue. Aera looked somewhat mollified, but she looked at Trey with something closer to concern than she’d shown before.
“So, um, where was I?” Hunter asked.
“You said that your father created a method of curing your AR, which appeared similar to the Sabletown cultivation method,” Commander Striker said.
“Right, point of clarification. I think that June’s method is only going to be shared with Aruon and Galan, as they are his disciples. As I’ve said before, there are some pretty strong rules in their culture about sharing proprietary techniques.”
“Understandable,” Trey said.
“But Aruon told me they have something like a cultivation-for-dummies type of manual that people who aren’t a part of any organization can get their hands on without getting in trouble. I asked him if he could share one with us, and Aruon said that he’d try to convince his master to bring one.”
“And you assumed that, if we didn’t know that we have a cultivation method of our own, we would end up paying more than what that manual would be worth.”
Hunter nodded. It was sort of accurate. He was mostly interested in making sure there wasn’t an unbridgeable divide between the Sabletown and Skyhold. As much as he liked Aruon and June, being at such a disadvantage was uncomfortable.
“So, what can you tell us about your father’s method? I assume that it’s the reason your AR could jump so drastically? Am I to assume that it provides more than just a cure to a deficiency?”
“You’re right on both counts,” Hunter said. “My father confessed in his journals, which I assume he wrote before he died, that his AR was nearing the 300s.”
Everyone in the room had something to say to that, but Hunter pushed onwards.
“And from what I can tell, my growth is faster than his was,” Hunter said, with a glare at Aera.
“What? Oh!” she said, her body electrified by the thought of potential growth she might achieve with a cultivation method, “yeah, holy shit. I need this cultivation thing. Like, yesterday.”
“Well, that kind of brings me to the reason I haven’t shared this yet.”
“Go on, Hunter,” Trey said.
“I don’t know how someone without my sensitivity to etherium could practice this method. I’m also not sure if I can say for certain that the method caused his mental health to decline so drastically.”
The excitement in the room seemed to die a bit at his announcement. But that energy of optimism repossessed Trey again.
“We’ll figure it out,” Trey said. “I understand why your father kept this private. Such a method would be world changing.”
He barked out a laugh.
“World changing, again! My, what a magnificent man. I really miss him, Hunter,” Trey said.
Hunter tried to smile.
“Anyway, thank you for sharing this with us. I will want to know some specifics; exactly what we’ll need from the Sabletowners, and how to value that information apart from what they’ll attempt to extract from us,” Trey said.
“Of course,” Hunter said, pushing the journal forward, “Although I warn you it will be difficult to read. By the time he wrote these journals, he was far past the point of no return. That’s by his own admission.”
“I’m sorry, that must have been difficult,” Trey said, frowning. But his eyes held some warmth. “I admire your courage, Hunter. I’m blown away by your strength and resilience. Although I’m not sure how much it means to you, I’m very proud of you.”
A warmth blossomed in Hunter’s chest. It was unexpected, given the weight of what they were talking about. He stammered for a few seconds, unsure how to rectify the two emotional extremes within him.
“You’ve turned him into a fish,” Aera said, amused at Hunter’s response, “let’s throw him back into the water.”
Trey chuckled and then gave Hunter a regretful look.
“It seems I’ve inflated your workload once more, Hunter. I’m sorry about that.”
“I knew what I was signing up for,” Hunter said. Someone at the back corner of the room cleared their throat. It was Captain Gregor.
Captain Gregor had been content to remain in the background of this meeting, taking in more of an observer’s role as Hunter made his revelation. But now he raised his hand. Hunter found the display somewhat amusing, but some increased concern offset this amusement. The man had seemed quite subdued lately, and Hunter figured that the same fatigue that was plaguing Trey was present within the Captain as well.
Hunter waited for Trey to beckon for the captain to speak, but then he remembered who was supposed to be running the meeting.
“Yes, Captain?” Hunter asked.
“The other ships will arrive soon,” he said. “I believe we are expecting the Ambition to be the first to appear in the next couple of days. If I’m not mistaken, they have a complement of artisans on board. If we coach some of our men to teach the basic principles you planned to share, then we will significantly reduce your workload. You will only need to visit a few times a week to answer questions and ensure quality standards.”
“Sure,” Hunter said, doing his best to channel his inner Trey, “that’s an excellent suggestion, Captain.”
The Captain nodded in thanks.
“Alright,” Trey said, “I think the plan is going to be pretty simple. Everything will proceed as planned, but you and I are going to sit down and discuss this journal and what it means going forward.”
Hunter’s mind had already drifted to figuring out how he could adjust his planned curriculum for the artisans. Bringing his mind back to the present, he tried to prepare himself for Trey’s reaction when he reads the words of the man his old best friend had become.