Regaleon: The Forgotten Knight

Kaeloris stood at the edge of the multicolored pool, staring in disbelief at its incandescent, luminous surface.

The cracked lenses of his spectacles caught the radiance emanating from the pool, fracturing the myriad of colors into countless shimmering reflections. Yet even that brilliant display wasn’t enough to conceal the expression of stupefaction etched across the failed Gnost’s face.

In fact, it wasn’t just Kaeloris who was in disbelief.

The moment those two words left his mouth, the rest of the group reacted as well, each displaying varying degrees of shock and utter disbelief.

They all knew what an Aether Pool was. And it was precisely because they knew that they found themselves utterly incapable of accepting what they were seeing.

Back in Valoria, Aether Pools were structures treated almost like consecrated places. They were sacred, revered, and in some cases, practically worshipped by members of the noble Houses, both minor and Great alike.

This wasn’t because of some mysterious nature or ancient myth attached to them; it was simply because of their immense significance.

Aether Pools were revered because of what they represented for an Awakener and, in many cases, even an Etheryean. They were precious cultivation resources, the kind that virtually every serious cultivator desired to possess.

An Aether Pool could dramatically improve the efficiency of cultivation by providing an environment saturated with condensed Aether, allowing cultivators to absorb and refine energy far more efficiently than they could through ordinary means.

For this reason, the Great Houses had gone as far as installing them within their own estates. Some even went further to possess multiple pools.

And considering the group’s former noble status, several of them had encountered such structures at some point during their previous lives.

Yet it wasn’t merely what Aether Pools could do that left them stunned; it was how they came into existence.

According to what was known throughout Valoria, Aether Pools were artificial structures constructed by specialized experts known as Artisans; individuals whose expertise encompassed the creation of arrays, formations, talismans, and countless other Aetheric implements.

Back in Valoria, an Artisan who had reached a sufficiently high Etheryean Realm, preferably a Rank Four or Rank Five Etheryean, would be entrusted with the construction of an Aether Pool.

The reason someone below Rank Four couldn’t accomplish such a feat was simple.

There were certain abilities and specialized powers granted upon reaching Rank Four that lower-ranked Etheryeans simply did not possess. Without those abilities, constructing the intricate formations necessary to create an Aether Pool was virtually impossible.

Besides, being an Artisan was an occupation every bit as revered as being an Alchemist, if not more so.

Just as medicines and Aetheric concoctions were indispensable to countless occupations beneath the sun, talismans, formations, arrays, and other Aetheric creations were equally ubiquitous.

And when a Rank Four Artisan was commissioned to construct an Aether Pool, the first thing they would establish was an ancient formation known as the Aetherion Convergence Array.

Its name is long but its function was deceptively simple.

It gathered Aether from the surrounding atmosphere and channeled it toward a designated location, functioning much like an enormous funnel.

Using various auxiliary arrays and formations, the gathered Aether would then be contained within a specially prepared basin.

At first, it would remain in a gaseous state.

But as more and more Aether accumulated, the density within the formation would continue to increase. Through enough compression, applied pressure, concentration, and eventually, after sufficient accumulation, the Aether would then undergo a fundamental transformation.

It would liquefy. And thus, an Aether Pool would be born.

It was precisely because they understood this process that none of them could comprehend how such a structure had come to exist within the Nether Lands.

Aether Pools were products of human ingenuity.

They required specialized knowledge, painstaking preparation, complex formations, and an Artisan capable of manipulating Aether on an extraordinarily sophisticated level.

Yet looking at the pool before them, one thing was immediately obvious; it had not been constructed by human hands.

There were no engraved formations; no foundation arrays; no inscriptions, and no intricate runic patterns.

The complete absence of any artificial architecture only reinforced that conclusion.

In fact, just to ensure that he wasn’t mistaken, Kaeloris meticulously swept the surrounding area with his gaze.

His eyes moved across the cavern floor, crystalline walls, and the edges of the pool but there was absolutely nothing. There wasn’t even the faintest trace of Aetheric craftsmanship.

And that was precisely what confused him.

How could something that should have required the combined efforts of a high-ranking Artisan and countless intricate formations simply exist here naturally?

As a result of this incomprehensibility, Kaeloris became even more intrigued by the existence of the cavern.

What he had seen so far had already been mind-blowing. But this... This was something that challenged everything he thought he understood about the nature of Aether itself.

However, just before he could speak, Veyrath suddenly voiced the question lingering in everyone’s mind.

”But how?” The failed Alchemist’s brows furrowed as he stared at the pool. ”How can an Aether Pool exist here?”

The question had barely settled when Aelric answered. The green-eyed youth chuckled softly before shaking his head.

”Oh, this isn’t an Aether Pool.”

The words came from his mouth in an utterly nonchalant manner. He delivered them casually, almost carelessly; yet the reaction they elicited was anything but casual.

The entire group snapped their gazes toward him; confusion, perplexity and disbelief appearing on their faces simultaneously.

”What do you mean?” Regaleon spoke first.

He shifted his golden gaze toward the pool before turning back toward Aelric, his eyes meeting those green orbs.

”If this isn’t an Aether Pool, then what is this?”

Aelric shrugged. He then gestured toward the reflective surface of the pool and replied.

”This, ladies and gentlemen, is what you call an Essence Pool.”

He stated it simply. Yet despite the supposed simplicity of those words, the group remained baffled.

”How is that any different from an Aether Pool?”

Valmyr asked, almost scratching the back of his head out of habit, only to remember that the Soul Essences he carried prevented him from doing so.

”Aether Pool. Essence Pool. To me, they’re the same thing with different names.”

Aelric glanced at the failed Vanguard for a moment before turning his attention back toward the Essence Pool.

”You’re right in a fundamental way.” He maintained a brief pause before continuing. ”However, that doesn’t mean you’re correct.”

Aelric raised both hands, spreading his palms apart as though physically illustrating the distinction.

”You see, there is a significant difference between Aether Pools and Essence Pools.”

He didn’t wait for anyone to interrupt.

”Aether Pools, as you call them, are essentially the obsolete version of Essence Pools.”

Several of them frowned.

”While they are manufactured by Artisans and require all those complicated arrays and formations you might know about, Essence Pools aren’t created that way.”

Aelric gestured toward the pool.

”They exist naturally.” His voice became slightly more serious. ”And it is precisely because of that natural existence that they stand a notch above Aether Pools.”

He smiled.

”Trust me. What you’re seeing here is something even some of the nobles from your kingdom might never encounter, let alone possess, in their entire lifetime.”

His smile gradually widened as he added. ”So rejoice.”

There was an almost mischievous glint in his eyes. ”Because this is something that would completely transform your cultivation and give you the opportunity to accomplish in months what might otherwise take years.”

At this point, Kaeloris couldn’t deny that he was intensely interested in the story behind the pool.

Being a Gnost, knowledge was something that was highly appreciated and exalted among his people.

For a Gnost, discovering something new wasn’t merely satisfying; it was almost instinctive.

Whenever Kaeloris encountered unfamiliar knowledge, his scholarly mind cared about little else except dissecting it, comprehending its principles, and uncovering the mechanisms governing its existence.

His eyes practically gleamed behind his cracked spectacles. He was just about to speak when Aelric suddenly raised a hand.

The green-eyed youth had already seen the unmistakable glint of intellectual fervor in Kaeloris’s eyes and knew exactly what was coming next.

Therefore, before Kaeloris could even launch into another barrage of questions, Aelric decided to stop him cold.

They didn’t have the entire day to stand around discussing Essence Pools and they needed to speed things up.

Spreading his palms, the green-eyed youth suddenly grinned. It was a wide grin, almost wolfish in nature.

A strange gleam appeared within his green eyes. ”So...”

He paused deliberately.

”Who is ready to become an Etheryean?”

The moment the question left his mouth, the atmosphere seemed to become charged with tangible anticipation, excitement and expectancy.

The group exchanged glances.

One after another, their gazes shifted between each other before finally returning to Aelric.

They didn’t need to say anything as their expressions were enough.

And as if he understood exactly what they were thinking, and precisely what they desired, Aelric’s smile widened.

He smiled like a predator that had finally cornered its prey.

”Come.” He turned toward the Essence Pool. ”Let’s start with the process.”

And just like that, seven out of the eight exiles prepared to break through and become Etheryeans...