Kai’s eye twitched as he looked at the laboratory. Arrayed in the room before him were tables of various pieces of equipment made from copper, brass, gold, glass, and iron. The ornate apparati were wholly unfamiliar to him, though some items were easy to identify. He recognized a bank of glass lenses; they came in a wide range of thicknesses, diameters, and colors. There were also several large glass containers, all empty, and a central larger container that seemed to have some obscure contraption attached to the floor and ceiling supporting it.
Surrounding what he identified as the central lab were slates of black framed in dark wood. A wooden shelf held small white sticks at the bottom of the slate frames.
“Do you know what these instruments do?” Kai asked Relay.
“I was hoping you would know,” Relay replied, his voice sounding disappointed.
Moving to one of the larger slates, Kai picked up one of the white sticks and drew a line on the slate. “Some kind of recording surface?”
“This soul fusion seems to have some unpredictable results. Did it take your and his knowledge and try to reconcile them into something compatible with both of your understandings?” Relay moved into the laboratory, hovering over the various apparatus that adorned the workspaces.
Kai nodded, “that’s plausible.” He pointed at the slate panels. The slate boards began changing; the slate surface became glass-like before flickering to life as illuminated screens. Using his finger Kai created a glowing amber line across the glass screen.
“Before getting distracted by all this,” he waived across the four lab tables laden with ornate and decorative instruments. “Let’s create a list of objectives and prioritize it; that’ll help us make some decisions.”
“Number one, stay alive. Can’t accomplish anything if dead, so making sure we survive this is number one priority.” A list formed in glowing amber text on the screen in front of Kai.
Priorities:
1. Stay Alive
“To do that, I’ve got to provide benefits to the Soul Hall, and that means learning to cultivate better than the others. So let’s make number two, learn to cultivate. I’m not a fan of fusing my soul with another’s based on what we know about how poorly it can go. Not until we understand souls much better than we do, at least. Let’s make that number three: understand souls.”
After completing his initial list, Kai took a step back and looked at it.
Priorities:
1. Stay Alive
2. Learn to Cultivate
3. Understand souls
“Right, and save the Eternals,” he concluded.
“Excellent addition, Sir.”
Priorities:
1. Stay Alive
2. Learn to Cultivate
3. Understand souls
4. Save the Eternals
“Alright, those will be our priorities. Two new lists now, Relay; What are our advantages and disadvantages?”
“You have the scientific knowledge from your previous life. It’s uncertain how much of an advantage that will be; things here may differ vastly. However, we should find enough similarities to consider it an advantage.”
Kai looked at a blank portion of the screen, willing the word “advantages” to appear. The list came into existence, the first value starting with scientific knowledge. Kai puzzled over what exact disciplines he remembered enough that they might be helpful.
Physics is questionably useful here, hyperspace theory, genetics, neural biology, biology, human physiology, thermodynamics, and aerospace engineering. Is there anything else?
Advantages:
1. Advanced Knowledge of Physics, thermodynamics, aerospace engineering, hyperspace theory, biology, human physiology, genetics
Relay surveyed the list, then looked back at Kai. The blue glowing of the orb just cycled slowly as he floated there.
“You don’t remember any of the information you gained as an Eternal?”
“I don’t remember any of that at all, but….” Kai paused, “I seem to recall things I don’t remember ever having learned. I attributed that to the soul fusion, acquiring some of the previous host’s memories. Now I’m not as sure.”
“I can supply some of the missing knowledge. I wasn’t as well versed in this as you were, but I know enough to assist.”
The list transformed on the board as Kai watched.
Advantages:
1. Advanced Primary Knowledge: Physics, thermodynamics, aerospace engineering, hyperspace theory, biology, human physiology, and genetics.
2. Advanced Secondary Knowledge: Astrochemical engineering, Astrocomputing, Astroelectrical engineering, Astromaterials engineering, Astromechanical engineering, Astronetwork topology, Astrobiology, Astroecology, Augmented reality, Biofeedback, Bioinformatics, Biomaterials, Cerebrology, Cognitive science, Computational neuroscience, Cybernetics, Exoplanetology, Genome Editing, Human-Computer Interaction, Molecular Engineering, Neuroscience, Nanomedicine, Nanotechnology, Neural engineering, Nootropic studies, Planetary atmospheres, Planetary Protection, Prosthetics design, Psychokinesis, Psycholinguistics, Psychopharmacology, Advanced computing and cryptography, Robotics, Space-time manipulation, Synthetic biology, Telepathy studies, Time dilation studies, Transhumanism, Wormhole physics, Xenobiology
After reading the much-expanded list, Kai turned to Relay, “Guess I missed quite a bit.”
“These are just the ones that seemed potentially relevant; there’s much more that I doubt will be useful.”
Kai continued to review the list, looking over each item. “Other advantages?” Kai asked, continuing to think of potential advantages he might have.
“You look like a child; perhaps you can go undetected in this guise?”
“This is both an advantage and disadvantage. I’ve been told that a seven-year-old soulforger stands out too much.”
“By stands out too much, you mean….”
“Stronger cultivators or rival factions inside the Celestial Temple might target me. That’s how I understood the implication.”
“I see. In that case, pretending to be weaker may be the best action.” Relay concluded.
“But too weak, and I’ll invite the aggression of many. Maybe there’s a balance, or maybe strength is all I need? I shouldn’t appear exceptional, though, which means I need to solve the problem of my soul light. It’s too distinctive right now.”
“Soul light?”
“Yeah, the stream of light that comes from my soul space to my eyes causes them to glow with soul light, it’s an easily recognizable trait of soulforgers, and in my case, it’s pronounced. I need to either redirect the light back here. I don’t need the tether now that I’ve located this space.”
“We could seal the source of the light here, but I fear that may prevent me from contacting you.” Relay sounded concerned. “That is the connection between this space and that, and I’m only here in this space.”
“I could also redirect the light into my core, away from my eyes; that seemed an option. I suppose I can practice that? But I don’t know what happens when my core is full.”
“Could you redirect it to your core before sending it back here? That might establish a two-way communication channel?”
“I’ll investigate and see.”
The list changed to indicate an additional advantage: appears small and weak. The same popped up as the number one item on the third list, disadvantages.
“Being a soulforger has its advantages, though. I should have easier access to resources as I advance, and I’ll have a smoother transition between levels.” That got added as additional advantages to that list, as Kai verbalized them.
“If I may, I consider myself to be an advantage. I am the secondary Relay of the Bellaria cluster that gives me access to all communication channels and significant ability to influence this local cluster.” The list of advantages incremented by one, the words added: Relay (researcher, soul space protection?)
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“Local cluster? What does that mean?”
“I mean, this region of space, I can influence it as needed.”
“By this cluster, do you mean where Long Yuan is located?”
“No. There’s no Long Yuan in the Bellaria cluster. I’m not sure where you are, but it’s not in any known clusters I know.”
“Right. Then how will you being able to influence some far distant region of space advantage me?”
“Unsure. More research is needed.”
Yeah, or likely not useful at all, but I’ll add it to the list. For now. Kai looked at the three lists, filling in some apparent disadvantages.
Priorities:
1. Stay Alive
2. Learn to Cultivate
3. Understand souls
4. Save the Eternals
Advantages:
1. Advanced Primary Knowledge: Physics, thermodynamics, aerospace engineering, hyperspace theory, biology, human physiology, and genetics.
2. Advanced Secondary Knowledge: Astrochemical engineering, Astrocomputing, Astroelectrical engineering, Astromaterials engineering, Astromechanical engineering, Astronetwork topology, Astrobiology, Astroecology, Augmented reality, Biofeedback, Bioinformatics, Biomaterials, Cerebrology, Cognitive science, Computational neuroscience, Cybernetics, Exoplanetology, Genome Editing, Human-Computer Interaction, Molecular Engineering, Neuroscience, Nanomedicine, Nanotechnology, Neural engineering, Nootropic studies, Planetary atmospheres, Planetary Protection, Prosthetics design, Psychokinesis, Psycholinguistics, Psychopharmacology, Advanced computing and cryptography, Robotics, Space-time manipulation, Synthetic biology, Telepathy studies, Time dilation studies, Transhumanism, Wormhole physics, Xenobiology
3. Appears weak and small
4. Soulforger advantages
5. Relay: Researcher, soul space guardian, cluster manipulation (not Yuan Long)
Disadvantages:
1. Appears weak and small
2. Younger
3. Stands out too much
4. Unfamiliar with the world
The priorities are good; Kai had no questions about those. Advantages, he wasn’t sure about many of the items Relay included. How would Exoplanetology be useful? He considered his last five days. Was there anything he was missing?
“Spiritual Energy,” Kai remembered after a few minutes. “The Elder said my spiritual energy would normally be an advantage. That might mean that I have more of it, or it was of a distinct quality compared to the average. What’s the source of my spiritual energy anyway? What kind is it?”
“Spiritual Energy? I’m unfamiliar with that term.” Relay replied.
Kai struggled for a way to explain it. “Certain energy types have an animating effect on the physical matter around them, causing the organization and evolution towards some intent. These kinds of animating energy types are categorized as Spiritual Energy. Cultivators use these energies to improve their body, mind, and soul.”
“I see,” Relay thrummed in thought, his blue orb pulsing. “This soul space has its own energy source. It’s where your soul light, I believe you called it, comes from. Could that be the source of your spiritual energy?”
“Possibly? What’s the energy source here?” Kai inquired.
“Come see,” Relay turned and hovered out of the lab. Kai looked back at the incomplete lists before following him out. They returned to the level below, to the control room where Kai found Relay. There Relay took his position hovering over the central hub, a golden platform that seemed to be part table with its smooth golden surface and part something else.
“This is an observation port. From here, we can peer down into the source, far below our planet. Stand back, opening.” Relay indicated. The pure golden surface of the observation port pooled into a liquid before parting to the side, the golden liquid pooling to a guardrail at the periphery of the port.
Light filled the room, a light so powerful that the temperature started rising, continuing until the oppressive heat soon became overwhelming.
“Active filters enabled,” a screen of gold rippled back across the blaring white portal, reducing the light and heat. When the heat dissipated, Kai took a tentative step forward and looked down. There was a large cloud of prismatic golden light, immense, and beyond that, a sizeable well-like hole carved straight through the planet's crust and beyond, much further than calculable, a star, or what appeared to be a star, shining in the center.
“A star?” Kai squinted, trying to determine the shape of the light. He couldn’t tell what he was looking at, but it was some kind of stellar body.
“That’s you.” Relay replied. “Or the galaxy that stores all of your knowledge and thoughts. It is called Nova Ahja. Somehow this soul space is drawing energy directly from it.”
Kai looked down, his eyes trying to make out the galaxy's shape; he could only see the bright outlines of a few stars; those few obscured any others. It was too bright to make out any further details. “If I’m pulling energy from a galaxy, then I will need to learn a cultivation technique compatible with sunlight, moonlight, or something like that. This could change everything.”
He avoided the claim that the galaxy far below had somehow been him. It was too inexplicable. He couldn’t even consider that as a reality at all.
“Right, so let’s add spiritual energy to the list of advantages - what do we call it? Celestial Energy? Galactic Energy? Cosmic Radiation?” he puzzled over a name for the energy type.
“High Energy.” Relay replied. “The Nova Ahja is a young starburst galaxy; its output consists of high-energy particles.”
“Okay, we’ll use high energy for now.” Kai wasn’t satisfied with it; it didn’t seem to reflect the aesthetic of his new world.
“We’ll finish the lists later. I’ve got to get back and check on everything. I’ll let you know if there are any new developments.”
“I’ll work on the lists some,” Relay replied before closing the observation portal.
----------------------------------------
Kai opened his eyes. He was still there on the boulder, the body of the orange salamander having shriveled and dried out in the sun. He took the little corpse and threw it over the side of the cliff before springing from the boulder and darting towards the cave. As he entered the cave and noticed the stalagmites, he wondered if he should collect more salamander souls for research.
What is left to do here? Odash seemed to have stopped sending me tutors. Could I be done? With that thought, Kai decided against killing more salamanders; he didn’t want anyone to know about the souls he collected. Instead, he returned to his bedroll and packed it away. He returned to the cave entrance with that and the lantern to wait.
As he waited, he sat and focused his spiritual awareness on his eyes, feeling the soul tether. Once his awareness focused on the tether, he tried to detach it from his eyes and reconnect it to his chest. When that failed, he tried moving the tether to the source of warmth he felt in his chest. That worked or seemed to, but he could still feel the ever-present sensation of soul-light in his eyes, a feeling he’d finally been able to identify after meditating for some time.
He traced the light from his eyes, down towards his chest, through an internal meridian, then from his chest out into the tether, the external meridian. With the source now being redirected through his chest, he only needed to block that internal meridian.
It took a long time for him to realize that meridians couldn’t be blocked. Once open, they would remain open unless damaged - like a vein with blood pumping through. Instead, he had to control the energy to actively move to avoid that meridian, effectively turning off his soul light.
After what felt like hours of practice, he managed to open his eyes. Without soul light, his eyes were a deep brown. He looked out at the somewhat dimmer world.
“Took less time than I thought you would, kid,” Odash greeted Kai.
“It feels like it took forever to me.” Kai sighed and stretched. “Not just the soul light, I mean the whole seclusion.”
“Get used to it. It only gets worse as you grow up. You may spend a year in seclusion by the time you are my age.” Odash blew out a long sigh.
“I was hoping soulforgers could avoid much of that.”
“We do; other cultivators can spend dozens of years at a time. We have it easy.”
Kai shook his head and stood and bowed to Odash. “This one thanks senior brother for his kind assistance.”
Odash smiled, “I’m sure we can find some way you can repay me. You have mastered all the basic subjects and reclaimed your memories. Do you need anything else?”
“This one requires a cultivation technique,” Kai replied immediately. He could already feel the increased warmth accumulating in his chest.
“Dual cultivation is hard. What a hassle.” Odash complained, “Why do you want to do all that work? Just find a good beast or two.”
“Look at me; I need every advantage I can get right now. I don’t mind the hard work.”
“Fine. Your life, but I can’t take you to the treasure hall myself. You’ll have to go on your own.” He fished through his pouch and pulled out some gold coins. “Here are the merit coins you earned for opening your soul space. The available techniques you can access with just this much are pretty trash, but find Old Ji and let him know you are a soulforger. He may be interested in you and has much discretion in the treasure hall.”
“Thank you, senior brother,” Kai received the coins before bowing.
“Let’s go then; I’ll drop you at the entrance. Then you’re on your own.”