AA. 217

The following morning started early for Nil. He started his day in the garden attached to his suite. It contained the same plants as in the recreational area around the world tree. However, they were more mature, and their energies were purer. Meatball and he had pruned them together. Nil sat cross-legged at the center of the garden and cultivated.

Crimson arms grew out of his back. His mastery of them over the past year and a half had increased significantly. However, they were nowhere near perfect. My Body Is My Domain assisted in his control, but it still felt insufficient. Nil had no trouble controlling the four arms as one or two pairs. He desired the same level of mastery as Iris. She didn’t just command each of her six Source Arms individually, but her fine motor skills also made them versatile.

For the time being, he settled on wrapping the Chaos in Equilibrium and used his arms to prune the garden carefully. He dedicated all of his focus to controlling two of the four appendages, feeling like a toddler still figuring out their own strength. He crushed one too many leaves and broke a couple of branches. Fortunately, none of the plants suffered significant damage to the primary stem or energy channels. Nil was careful to stay away from the budding flowers. They were much too valuable to his cultivation.

When Nil closed his eyes and envisioned his core and internal energy channels, he no longer saw the tiger and mangrove forest. It felt as if he had outgrown it. Bonding with the Source, breaking down the Glimmer, the abilities he gained since, and everything else had culminated in something far less metaphorical. The lack of Energy Instinct’s visual input and its evolution had sharpened his Sixth Sense. He could feel his energy channels, all the significant ‘meridians’ as the many manuals called them, and the core which sat just above his navel.

The core where all the rivers of the mangrove river once met was no longer a violent maelstrom. Instead, it contained two layers. The first was organized and reminiscent of Order. Its direction seemed to change every time Nil looked at it, but the sphere appeared perfectly uniform. It was hollow, and an empty space separated the outer layer from the more chaotic inner core. The countless strands of energy that constituted it moved in opposite, conflicting directions. They were never in harmony and seemed forever on the verge of colliding with one another, but they never did. 

At first, Nil believed he needed to tame the core and all of its parts, wrestle it under his control, and give it the form he desired. Now, he understood that there was no domesticating the energy. After all, it wasn’t Qi that his body housed but the source. The rules and behavior weren’t the same. Blindly following the manuals wouldn’t get Nil to his desired destination. He needed to guide the source instead and become one with it. Nil needed to strike a balance between the esoteric nature of cultivation and the energy rules and his understanding of physics. It didn’t need to be correct or accurate. As long as it made sense to him, everything would work out.

I can ascend without a token. I’m sure I can. It won’t be easy, but I can do it.

Nil’s studies and conversations with other cultivators had taught him that Gold Realm was where everything began to change. It was the first significant step towards immortality, where the body, Qi, power seeds, and everything else found balance. The two layers of the core, the energy channels, and Nil’s body needed to find a balance. Everything needed to become one. Nil didn’t have all the answers but had learned to trust his instincts. 

Dawn’s first lights peeked through the glass roof covering his private garden not long after Nil finished his morning cultivation session. He showered. Then, he fried eggs and sausages and ate them with leftover rice. Crispy garlic and shallots sprinkled over the top added more texture and flavor to the filling breakfast. A jar of pickled radishes and papaya tied it all together.

Selia liked to sleep in the mornings following her matches. He didn’t disturb her but kept some eggs and sausages aside for her on a covered plate. Then, he sat alone by the window, enjoying the warm rays and checking his messages. 

Everything sent through Festus The Curator’s channel, came marked with a red flag for high priority. Unsurprisingly, there were lots of sponsor messages, new and old, related to his recent arena match. Nil didn’t have time for new deals and rejected them all in a mass message. He was already making more than enough money from existing deals, Apocalypse Arena, quests, and Nexus jobs. As a result, he also rejected current sponsors offering anything new. He only agreed to six-month renewals and changes that wouldn’t eat too much of his time.

Bunty had also sent him the dossiers of several Forge and unaffiliated but friendly Arena fighters to consider for his Labyrinth team. They also contained curated videos of their recent arena matches. Nil saw several familiar faces, especially among the Bronze Realm candidates. There was Viktor, who Nil last encountered during the Apocalypse Arena qualifiers. His close-ranged lightning powers had significantly evolved and grown since Mortal Realm. Lily and he had worked together, and her stone armor’s insulation made them an incredible pair.

The man went in the reject pile with most other candidates. It was nothing personal. Viktor’s arena history suggested he had no team event experience since entering the Bronze Gauntlet. Nil also didn’t want another mage in the team, especially one that hadn’t ascended to Silver. Magic users required far too much energy to recover energy and get over the mental strain of casting spells. The lack of long events in Viktor’s match history suggested he was one such Summoned. The Labyrinth was supposedly almost as long as the Cleansing. 

More past opponents populated the list. There was a Canadian woman he faced during the Chase. She fought with a pair of tomahawks. Nil didn’t know whether they were soul weapons or if her control over them was a part of her power. She belonged to an organization that competed with Wilson Luduses. He liked the idea of antagonizing Adrian by recruiting her.

There was also a woman he fought at Iron Realm during his attempt at the Gauntlet of Ten. Sian ‘Wisp’ Thomson was a more traditional knight. She was known for a large round shield, spears, and gladius. She featured in several advertisements, wearing outfits bearing an Ancient Roman motif. Her armor was also something one would expect of a phalanx soldier or gladiator in films and television from the time period. Her ability to fire golden wisps or infuse her equipment with them made her a potent fighter. Nil didn’t know how she had matured since, but she almost overwhelmed Absorb when they fought, nearly defeating him.

She went to the maybe pile. Nobody felt good enough, and their performance always felt lacking. The rest of his team were cultivators and had chemistry with each other, so bringing an outsider into the mix felt wrong. 

A Schema notification appeared just as Selia got out of bed, almost as if waiting for both of them to become conscious and aware. 

You’ve been summoned to the Nexus headquarters.

There was nothing more to it. It didn’t seem like the pair had an option and had never encountered such a demand before. Visiting the interdimensional offices, accepting quests, and meeting with Layla was always an option. They had the freedom to pick from several jobs or take any at all. Of course, not responding came with risks. As Nexus employees, they had several privileges, and not fulfilling their duties meant losing them. Nil had heard that people who rejected too many quests also lost the privilege to go on them and visit the Nexus altogether, losing access to the market and valuable paths of progression. 

The gap between compulsory quests increased at higher realms. Exceptional service also granted them the right to reject summons a limited number of times, but they were few and far between.

Nil gave Selia a few minutes to freshen up before accepting the summon. She was quick, and her recently attained Body of Gold didn’t need much work to look put-together and professional. 

Much to the couple’s surprise, they didn’t end up in Layla, their personal caseworker’s office, or the large shared waiting area outside of it. Instead, they ended up in a much grander space. A giant circular table sat in the center of the room, and a holograph depicting a grand ash tree. It reminded Nil of the daughter of Yggdrasil on Ashe Falle. Several spheres of varying sizes and colors sat on its branches. It took Nil a moment to realize they were trees.

Three other people occupied the room alongside Layla. The first was a middle-aged blonde man who looked significantly older than he appeared. The other was a young woman who Nil was sure had also lived far longer than her appearance would suggest. Their energy was muted, but it reminded him of the immortal he had met, who was far more refined.

“Thank you for answering our summons,” the man said, stroking a fat squirrel that sat on his lap. His tone was warm despite his professional demeanor. Nil couldn’t be sure what it was, but the man’s presence was reassuring. “We’ve been following all of your careers for a while, and I speak for significantly more people in this room when I say that we’re impressed.”

Silence hung heavy over them after he finished speaking. It wasn’t just Nil and Selia who’d been summoned. Shawn, Andrew, Susan, and the Cursed Investigation Team were all in attendance. 

“It’s rare for people from individuals from a Seed World to have gained power and trust at the same rate as you,” the woman added. “I’m Diya Ratra. My family was amongst the founding members of the Nexus.” She nodded at the man sitting next to her. “This is Alexander Woodson. Founding member. He also brought the druids into the organization.”

It was a struggle not to let Nil’s mouth fall open. The Nexus had supposedly been around for several millennia. It meant the people in front of them were thousands of years old. He expected such individuals to lose their humanity, become cold, and grow disconnected from reality. Such individuals had probably seen too much and lost far too many people, after all. The evidence said otherwise.

“It’s nice to meet the both of you.” Nil was the first person to speak up and step forward. He took a seat across the table from them without invitation. His companions followed soon afterward. “Is this a social call, or do you have a job for us?”

“I don’t know whether it's worth calling for a job,” Alexander stated. His eyes scanned the group, pausing on each of the three who had visited Ashe Fall. “I would’ve summoned your sister, too, Mr Roy. Unfortunately, her ascension process is still underway. 

“We hear there has been friction within the grove, and you’re not united against whatever dysphoria is plaguing your world.”

“It’s not ‘whatever dysphoria,’” Cara Sue said. “Powerful summoned with significant assets and government backing are attempting to take over and make ordinary people second-class citizens. We fear civil war might be on the horizon.”

“So, there will be a period of unrest,” Diya said, shrugging. “It's inevitable in most Seed Worlds, especially those that are low in magic, Qi, or any form of unnatural energy. First, governments and Summoned try to coexist. Then, the mundanes get insecure and try to squash the ascended with rules, regulations, and limitations. The powerful revolt or make their powerplay and struggles. It takes a while for the scales to rebalance, and then they start their journey to becoming a Control World. It's expected.”

“This might not be most pleasant to hear, but it might come across as callous,” Alexander continued when no one contributed. “The actions, failings, and internal strife of an individual world, especially a barren Seed World, aren’t overtly concerning to us. As long as there is no danger of the Scourge, Cursed Energy, or corruption of either taking root, we try not to get involved.”

“Until a daughter of Yggdrasil sprouts on the planet, of course,” Diya quickly added.

“And you wonder why my people think so little of you,” Shawn said. “We’re nothing but soldiers and pawns. What about—”

“I prefer the term asset.” Diya smiled, unfazed.  “You’re all valuable to us in one way or another. Some more. Some less. I understand every world, and its residents think they’re different and important. The truth? It's not true on a multiversal scale.” She nodded at Layla. “Caseworker Zane and her Psi-Clones cover Summoned from over a hundred different worlds. She is running teams to contain corruption and Cursed Energy Technology on multiple worlds. We work for the net good.”

“I guess when you’re looking out for the good and development of several realms, the plight of ordinary people fades into the background,” Nil stated. He disliked siding with Shawn, but their attitude explained why several Summoned agreed with Adrian Wilson. “But do you realize it breeds resentment?”

“Feelings matter little in the war against the Cursed, Scourge, and Void,” Alexander said. “Your world has a concept called trickle-down economics. We give you power, knowledge, and resources to push back the darkness and trust your empowerment to do good on a larger scale. The Nexus isn’t here to hold your hand.” He sighed. “You might disagree with how we do things here, but that’s not important right now.”

“Right.” Diya leaned forward in her seat, elbows resting on the table. “Things are, of course, now different that Earth has its own world tree.”

“And the local eco-system could collapse, twist, and change the second the Forge’s barrier collapses, and Yggdrasil’s daughter spreads her magic around the globe,” Alexander continued. “That’s why you’re here. It could result in far more death and destruction than a civil war.”

“And you think that’s a possibility?” Susan asked, exchanging concerned looks with Andrew.

“No.” Nil’s gaze didn’t waiver. He didn’t break eye contact with the druid. “They’re telling us there is already a plot in progress, and we need to look into it.”

[Sorry for the lack of posts recently. We've been struggling with the baby, her vaccinations, and an inter-continental move. The dogs are gone. Furniture is gone. We move in six weeks. I'm struggling with contracted deadlines, so things will continue at this pace with AA. I need to focus on DoDS 4 until I finish it. As a result, I'm pausing Billing.]