Book 5 Chapter 1 - Choice

“We are the Lightning Primordial, Calron.”

Raizel’s muted voice resounded within Calron’s mind, as the azure lightning burst out from his chest and wrapped itself around Raizel’s body, boiling with rage.

However, the lightning had no effect on the demonic man as he simply held out his palm, and bolts of black lightning exploded outward, and drove back the Divine Element.

“If you’d awakened, I’d be in trouble. However, you’re barely a threat to me now.”

Raizel chided the azure lightning, leaving it to withdraw sulkily as it morphed into a blue electric snake. The small creature floated over to the collapsed Calron and gazed at him with worry.

“How is this possible? How could we both be the same person?”

Calron groaned, the pain retreating within his body once the azure lightning stopped resisting.

“Only the second half of our soul knows the real truth, but this is what I’ve gathered in all the time I spent searching for answers.”

Raizel glanced at the upset blue snake before continuing.

“Our world is not alone in this universe, Calron. There exist multitudes of planets, galaxies and civilizations that we could only dream of. In the vast universe, there are races that don’t even have the elements, but use various paths to ultimately reach the same goal: Immortality. I haven’t personally witnessed them, but I read in the most secret libraries in the Divine Realm, that there were systems out there where people gained immortality by merely studying the sword and practicing with the weapon until it became a part of them. All of this might sound inconceivable, but there’s proof.”

Raizel sighed, noticing the blue snake beside Calron getting more nervous as the conversation between the two inheritors continued.

Calron felt sympathy for the azure lightning. After all, it had been with him all these years. The divine element changed his life, giving him a power few could ever hope to achieve, but more importantly, it always protected him no matter what.

However, this was the only chance that Calron had to get the answers he’d been desperately looking for. He’d make it up to his partner later, but for now, he needed Raizel to talk.

“This was not our original world. The sector that the seven primordials, and in turn, us, came from, was known as the spirit sector. Our cultivation method relied on the elements to progress. But something happened that altered the spirit sector forever, which coincidentally involves the disappearance of the Lightning Primordial. Later, the remaining primordials twisted space and time to create a world portal, forcefully migrating the inhabitants of the entire spirit sector to the new sector we are in today, legacy sector.”

Small static black lightning traced around Raizel’s face, casting a gloomy shadow over his features.

Calron’s heart raced rhythmically as he absorbed the shocking revelations.

“Unfortunately, the legacy sector already had natives living here peacefully, and they did not take it kindly when the primordials invaded them. Their cultivation path focused more on their physical body than their cores, but despite that, there were four beings that could contest against the six primordials’ might. They were the four titans of this sector, the Martial Titan, Star Titan, Nature Titan, and finally, the Blood Titan.”

*grrrr*

The azure lightning coiled around Calron, baring its fangs at Raizel.

“Don’t like me telling the boy that it was your brothers and sisters who started this war, huh?”

Raizel smirked, ignoring the stupefied look on Calron’s face at the blue snake’s reaction.

“The four titans were powerful and in the same cultivation realm as the primordials, but they were sadly outnumbered as the legacy sector was still relatively newborn compared to the spirit sector. I don’t know if the four titans were executed permanently or sealed in a space prison, but they never appeared again and the primordials took complete reign of this sector. However, they didn’t stop there. They meddled with the natural laws of this world and removed the original cultivation path of this sector, forcing everyone to use the elements.”

“Was the original cultivation path, the legacies?”

Calron murmured as a gradual realization struck him.

“Yes, but not the legacies that you’ve seen and practiced before. The primordials couldn’t entirely remove the legacy path, so they altered its laws, watering down its power and twisting its ranks so no one could ever hope to reach the level of the Titans. Initially, the legacy cultivation path would make your body incomparably stronger at each stage, but after the primordials tampered with the laws, the legacies became a mere supplement to the elemental cultivation.”

Raizel clicked his tongue, his distaste evident.

“Let’s change the scenery. My mood is souring the more I talk about this.”

The older man stood up and swiped his palm to the right, causing the surroundings to distort until the new scenery changed to a large, open meadow. Full of lush greenery, it was a stark contrast to the previous glum atmosphere.

“The blood legacy I inherited doesn’t fit this scenario, as it’s quite powerful. My Master, Elias, used only the blood legacy to defeat other cultivators of the same stage.”

Calron refuted. Although the majority of the legacies he encountered were underwhelming, the blood legacy defied this stereotype.

“The blood legacy… Yes, I remember that one. There are always exceptions to any rule, but not in the way you’re assuming. Before the primordials invaded this sector, the legacy path was unlike what you know of it today. Tell me, Calron, what do you think is the difference between a God and an Ancient?”

Raizel brushed his hand against the empty air, creating two simple wooden chairs in the center, gesturing Calron to sit after he took his place on the chair.

“I… I actually haven’t thought about it much. I assumed they were the same as gods but belonging to a different faction.”

Calron mused, accepting the offered chair while the electric blue snake floated beside him. It appeared to be resigned to the ongoing events at this point.

“The Gods have gone through an extensive care to destroy all mentions of the Ancients, and while there are certain races like the Darklings that have direct connections to the Ancients, the general information on them is widely suppressed. Would you like a drink?”

Raized created a table in front, materializing a tea set along with it.

Can we even get thirsty in this isolated dimension?

“I’ll have a cup, thank you. You still haven’t told me what the difference between a God and an Ancient is.”

Calron’s thoughts raced as the puzzle pieces started to align within his mind, but he wanted Raizel to confirm.

“You’re a smart man, you know it already. Or should I say we’re both smart men? Sorry, it’s been centuries since I last interacted with someone, and my humor has become somewhat dry.”

Raizel chuckled, eliciting a wry smile from the younger man on the other side.

“Sigh, I haven’t even begun to process that we essentially share the same soul. Does that mean you’re still alive if your soul is present? And how is it that we’re both so different in personalities when we’re the same person?”

Calron inquired with unhidden curiosity.

“Slow down, little me. We’ll get to that, but we need to wrap up the topic of Ancients before we open the other can of worms. Say it loud what the conclusion you came to regarding the Ancients, you already guessed it.”

Raizel stirred the pot, throwing in the dried tea leaves into the boiling water.

“I don’t know how it’s possible, since you said that the primordials deformed the world laws, but I think the Ancients are people who practice the original legacy cultivation path.”

Calron whispered out the words. The static discharge around the azure lightning grew agitated, dreading once again about what was to come, but helpless to the stop the demonic ex-inheritor.

“Right on the mark. While cultivators eventually come to the knowledge about the existence of Ancients, one fact has remained to be a strict and forbidden taboo… the method of becoming an Ancient.”

Raizel shot a warning glance at the azure lightning before continuing.

“I didn’t become an Ancient of Lightning on the spur of the moment, Calron. It was all to find the truth about what happened to us and why our fate is stuck in this wretched loop of reincarnation. Anytime I would get close to the truth, our snake friend over here would intervene in my path. In the end, the only way I’d unshed the truth was if I could force the azure lightning out of my body.”

Raizel’s eyes turned serious, the demonic aura surrounding him growing in intensity.

“Did it work?”

Calron breathed out slowly.

“Yes, it worked, but I didn’t have time to finish my search. Knowing I couldn’t do anything, I set out to prepare for the one who’d reincarnate next. You thought it was the locket that gave you the divine element, but you were going to inherit the azure lightning regardless. Instead, the locket was a measure secured by me to ensure our meeting today. I’ve waited centuries for this moment, Calron. Only you can find out the truth about our past.”

Raizel briefly closed his eyes, flashes of agony flickered through his irises.

“You were preparing for this meeting for centuries? What can I even do? I’ve barely entered the Saint stage.”

Calron lamented, feeling like he let down his counterpart.

“Hahaha, you don’t even realize that it’s a boon you haven’t broken through to the Heavenly stage, as if you did, then all hope would have been lost already.”

Raizel shook his head with a slight smile etched on his face.

“What do you mean?”

Calron was befuddled, but nothing could prepare him for Raizel’s next words.

“To learn about our past, you need to destroy your cultivation and be reborn as an Ancient.”

A/N: Hi everyone, with the release of chapter 1, I'd also like to announce the release schedule of the future chapters. I'll be starting with 2 chapters a week (Tuesdays & Fridays), but it will increase to 3 chapters and more after a few months. I will be uploading extra chapters for the different tiers this week to get everything rolling.