I was beginning to lose count of how many times I’d found myself traversing a dark, stony hall beneath the surface. And I grew less fond of it every time.
“This is Facility Number 502, Rayden. This facility is another cosmodrome we can use to land the spaceship. There are three other facilities on this planet that are similar to the first one you entered, the one where you were gestated and where you learned of your origin.”
Dex’s words brought on a disturbing thought. If there were so many of these facilities built by Lord Solomon on this planet, did that mean I’d be meeting a bunch of other clones? I didn’t like that idea.
I said as much to Dex, but he didn’t seem to understand why I felt odd about meeting other mes. But I shouldn’t have expected him to. Besides, I was clone #52, and the Lord Solomon AI had told me that more clones than just 52 existed. Meeting other people who not only looked exactly like me but also all had the same goal of vying for this “becoming Lord Solomon” title might be something I’d have to get used to.
But the longer I could avoid it, the better.
Dex reassured me to continue following the windy path, even as it descended further into the earth.
“Where are you taking me?” My legs wobbled precariously as my body realized the last I’d slept was a mere two or three hours in a damp cave almost a day ago.
“To the city, Rayden. Lord Solomon built this planet as a training academy for those who followed him.”
“Followed him?” I suddenly remembered that the Lord Solomon AI had said something about followers when he’d told me about the original Solomon’s purpose for building an academy on this planet.
“So, he had worshippers? Even though he hadn’t been a god for very long before he died?” I asked.
“Lord Solomon attained many admirers throughout his life. His quick ascension to power made many humans believe him to be a god long before he’d even reached the Celestial Tiers. He traveled to many worlds, met many different peoples, and created a reputation for himself.”
I pursed my lips and nodded, then rolled my eyes as the next turn I made in the hall led to yet another branch of trail to follow.
“So,” I said to Codex, “this ‘training academy…’ What is it, exactly?”
“An establishment with many adept teachers who help train students to hone their Skills and advance as quickly as possible to Tier 10. Suppose one wishes to advance to Tier 20 or the Celestial Tiers. In that case, breaking through to Tier 10 before one is too old is important. Aging begins to slow at Tier 7, and it is much easier for one’s body to keep up with the required Soul Strength for high advancement if they attain those higher Tiers sooner rather than later. That way, their body stays limber, and frailty won’t get in the way.”
I rubbed my forehead. “Uh, so… How old is too old?”
“It is best to reach Tier 10 before the human age of 50. But, of course, the quicker you can get there, the better.”
“How old was Lord Solomon when he reached Tier 10?”
“22 human years old.”
That tracked. Dex had said aging only slows once someone hits Tier 7, and the Lord Solomon AI looked to be in his mid-40s. I didn’t know if the aging process continued to exponentially slow once you continued to climb the Tiers past Tier 7, but I did know that Lord Solomon had lived at least two or three centuries and still managed to remain looking middle-aged.
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“Dex, does aging stop completely at some point?”
“At Tier 15, Rayden.”
That made sense. “How old was Lord Solomon before he died?”
“541 human years.”
I stopped walking. Of course, I had already known Lord Solomon had lived for several hundred years, but hearing his actual age and realizing that I might have to live that long someday sent a shiver through my spine.
I shook my head and continued walking, starting to reason through the “age-slowing” process. Advancing to Tier 7, then climbing through to Tier 15 had obviously only physically aged Lord Solomon by 20 years or so. And then his aging had stopped. Of course, his mind and Skills continued to grow and strengthen. I wondered how wise someone could become at 541 years old. In fact, many of the gods I’d seen in Lord Solomon’s memories the first time I’d met his AI must be much older than that–some even millennia older.
I remembered how agonizingly slow it had seemed to take to just turn 16, the age requirement for going through a Marking Ceremony in Edrona. To even have the patience to let centuries pass me by before I could even think about ascending to godhood felt daunting.
“You said there were teachers and students. Will I be meeting a lot of people?” I asked.
A part of me, the lonely, and I’ve been running on my own for too long, part of me, wanted human interaction. Dex didn’t quite cut it. But another part, the part of me that had just witnessed everyone I cared about die by the hands of the monstrous Nagari tribe, wanted to isolate myself and learn to live without companionship. People just… die.
“Yes, Rayden. As I said, there will be many teachers and students. My database also informs me that there are civilian settlements on this planet, some within academy boundaries. This planet started as a home for this training establishment, and it has quickly turned into a place where many of his clones could learn and advance to Tier 10. I know many other Codexes have directed their clones to this very spot.”
A groan rumbled in my throat. It sounded like I would have to meet other “mes” sooner than I’d thought.
“Not only can you learn to advance through the Tiers more efficiently with the tools here, Dex continued, “but there are also treasure rooms that Lord Solomon had set in place to reward his clones and further help them on their journeys.”
I knew what the word “treasure” meant but didn’t see how piles of gold and jewelry could help us clones much on our ascension. Maybe it could help pay for things, but–
“These rooms are unlocked for the worthy and have many items and tools to choose from,” Dex said, interrupting my personal thoughts.
“What sort of items? And how do you unlock these rooms?”
A pause. “My database does not have that information, Rayden.”
I shrugged, bringing my eyes down to watch my feet as I stepped and thought, so I missed the stone door carved at the end of the path, only noticing it once my head slammed into it.
“Ow,” I grumbled, rubbing the sore spot on my forehead.
“This is the entrance to Solomon’s Realm Academy, Rayden.”
I stepped back and directed a quizzical eyebrow at the simple gray door with shoddy stonework and no handles or knobs to be seen.
“I expected something more… grand,” I thought back to Dex. “And this academy is underground? Why?”
“Press your palms into the center of the door,” was all he said in response.
So, I did. The rough surface was so cold it was numbing, but I pressed in even harder. Still, nothing happened. I retracted my arms and very much wished Dex had a head so I could knock him over it.
“Dex, are you sure–”
A soft buzz shook the door in front of me–slightly, but still enough for me to notice. A warm yellow light shot over the lines meeting the edges of the door and the wall it had been carved into, leaking out gold-like streams that seemed to pour from the other side of the stone slab.
Strange symbols, unlike anything I could compare them to, carved themselves magically into the center of the door as if an unseen person stood there and slowly chiseled them into the stone with an invisible knife.
At first, I couldn’t make any sense of the symbols with their long lines and random swoops and dots. But then, every stroke seemed to lift from the door and jumble together until they spelled out “Solomon’s Realm Academy” in gold Edronan lettering. Had Codex just translated the words for me? I’d thought he could only do that when people were speaking.
Well, that’s convenient, I thought with a smile.
A sound like nails scraping against rock resounded as the door rolled over like the turning of a wheel on a cart, then retreated to a hidden side pocket of the wall. I brought up a hand to my eyes as bright white light flooded my vision once the door disappeared. I rubbed my eyes with my palms to adjust to the light. Once I did, my breath hitched in my throat at the sight before me.