Many are the gifts of God to his people, of which enlightenment is the greatest of all, given by grace of the Archon. Praise him. For only through true insight do we shed our meager mortality and touch the face of our creator above. The eternal awaits the enlightened. Yet insight requires experience and knowledge of what is. We must touch upon both good and evil while never averting our eyes. To ascend, we must suffer and overcome, resolute in our devotion to our Way, ever aware of the chasm below. – Reflections on Light

After hurriedly packing up some supplies, Verus and Warin spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what else they’d need for an extended trip into the wilds. When morning came the next day, they both hurried to the meeting place. Anticipation and nervousness filled them both. They’d only done basic wilderness training before back at their home temple, and that had been done under supervision. This would be something very different.

Once they arrived at the gate that they’d first entered the main temple through, the pair saw that most of the other disciples had already arrived. It definitely seemed like many of them had been forewarned. Many had large packs on their backs.

Verus was studying his peers as he waited for the elder to appear when he noticed Escora standing off to one side alone. The young Telhri glanced his way and hesitated, so he gave her a friendly wave. She awkwardly returned his gesture, and after looking around for moment, walked over to him.

“Hey, I haven’t seen you in a while. Not since you got beat up,” she told him as she straightened up and tried to put on an aloof front. Now that Verus knew her, it was not convincing in the least, just fustrating. She was obviously nervous and insecure, even to someone as socially unobservant as Verus.

“I had some meditation to do. Such is the life of cultivator.”

Warin stepped forward and smiled cheerfully. “You’re welcome to join us as we wait.”

Escora visibly relaxed and nodded in agreement. “That sounds fine. I guess hanging out with you is as good as anywhere until we get going.”

“Can you believe this?” Warin asked her. “They’re just throwing a bunch of disciples out into some spirit infested woods!”

Escora chuckled. “It’s about time they did something. Just training in this temple was getting quite boring. I was expecting them to shake things up soon, but not quite like this.”

“We could die!”

Escora simply shrugged and looked unconcerned. “That’s life as a cultivator. Doesn’t your holy book say so? It’s full of conflict and danger.”

“Your struggle is supposed to be spiritual, not necessarily physical,” Verus pointed out.

“Good luck ascending peacefully by meditating. The Archon battled across several worlds and smited armies of heretics and demi-humans. I don’t think trying to be slightly less angsty will cut it.”

“Huh, that’s true.” Verus gave her a thoughtful look. Huh. It was possible that he’d severely overestimated how peaceful seeking enlightenment would be. Then again, he wasn’t afraid of fighting or risking his life. It was the uncertainty of life and other people that he hated.

“I suppose,” Warin agreed. “Although, the sect doesn’t actually have to threaten our lives. All that matters is that we feel as if we’re in real peril and thus try our hardest. Thus, they’re probably exaggerating the danger. I mean, as if the spoiled scions around us are going to be put at risk.”

Fang suddenly walked into sight and sneered condescendingly at Warin. “That’s a good way to get yourself killed, fatty. I’m not usually big on giving out advice for free, but your pal Verus already owes me, thus it’s in my interest to keep him alive, so listen up. If you drop your guard during this little expedition, you’ll die. The sect is being very serious about this, and the elders don’t care about losing some outer disciples. Even the noble families won’t blame the sect if their kiddies get offed. They understand that those that die simply failed to advance and were of no use to the family or the sect.”

“That seems harsh,” Verus said as he gave Fang a nod in greeting.

“It’s just how high-level cultivators think. Their children are only useful as long as they can ascend to high Realms, otherwise they’re just an embarrassment, so it’s better to weed out the failures that won’t be able to comprehend enlightenment early on. Some of them view it as mercy or as giving their children one last chance to succeed.”

Escora nodded along with Fang’s words. “Sounds about right to me. It’s traditional for young cultivators from the Telhri to go out on hunts in the wilderness when they’re nearing a new Realm and looking for enlightenment. Even the children of the chief go to face their challenges alone, otherwise it would be pointless.”

Fang looked Escora over. “You’re that Telhri girl. I haven’t seen you around, but you seem to be less naïve than these two temple wards.”

“I know you; you’re the one they all call Fang, the battle maniac.”

“It’s nice to be famous. Try not to die.” Fang laughed as he walked away and rejoined a small group of outer disciples that included Selesta, who barely paid him attention.

Before Verus and his companions could discuss what was going on any further, Elder Lamar appeared right in front of the gate. Dark smoky ki rippled off of him as he landed and then turned to face the disciples. They all snapped to attention as he barked out a series of quick orders, and they were soon marching out of the temple and into the city streets.

It was the first time Verus had left the temple since he’d arrived over a month ago, but the neighborhood hadn’t changed at all. Not that Verus had expected it to. All the buildings in the upper-class district were probably owned by cultivators that had lived for over a century and didn’t change much. Most of the homes seemed cared for but unoccupied.

Soon, the elder led the disciples out of the residential area and onto a busy street. They passed many mortals going about their lives, who hurried out of the way of the cultivators lest they offend someone more powerful than they could comprehend. There were many laws protecting mortals from abuse by cultivators, but none of them could truly protect against the wrath of a powerful immortal. They wielded too many types of power, from physical and spiritual to political.

The long walk quickly got to Warin. “Are we walking all the way to the Algorian Reaches? They sound like they’re very far away. I don’t think I brought enough food for such a long journey. Maybe we should grab some more from street vendors?”

“We’re actually headed into the city, not toward any gates,” Verus observed.

“Oh. What’s in this direction?”

Verus looked at the buildings in the distance before answering. “I think it’s just more markets and residences all the way to the imperial palace.”

“Odd, I doubt we’re going there. Maybe we’ll turn soon and head for the port or something?”

The imperial palace loomed ever larger as they headed straight for it, and despite Warin’s doubt, it eventually became obvious that it was their goal. Soon, it’s white walls and golden spires stood right before them. The huge palace complex had many gates and entrances, but the Elder took them up to a mid-sized one that was guarded by a pair squad of soldiers in golden scale armor. They stood perfectly straight and still, each of them radiating the power of the Tempered Realm.

After a brief discussion between the elder and the guards, the group from the Great Wind Sect were let into the palace complex and found themselves in a large paved courtyard. More golden soldiers could be seen watching from the walls and there was a small group of people in the center of the courtyard. Ringed by half a dozen more soldiers, stood a man with a long white beard and a dignified ancient woman. They both held the power of elders and were wearing many golden ornaments. Each of their fingers had a ring and there were golden chains around their necks. The ancient woman also had golden earrings and a hairclip in her long silver hair. There was no mistaking their lofty status.

However, Verus’s eyes were drawn to the structure that stood right behind them. It was made of two steel pillars with lines of glyphs etched onto every visible spot on them. Energy crackled between the pillars, creating some sort of rift in the middle where space was twisted in on itself.

“Incredible, a spatial gate. I’ve always wanted to see one,” Escora remarked in awe.

Verus’s eyes went wide. “A spatial gate? Why would they use that to move some mere disciples?”

“It makes sense to me. The palace runs the Reaches and you imperials are masters of spatial teleportation techniques.”

“We are?”

“You routinely use it to move from world to world. Before you arrived, the Telhri didn’t even know such things were possible.”

That was true. Verus had just never really thought about it before. This was his first time ever seeing a spatial gate personally.

There was loud shuffling sound as the soldiers suddenly spread out to either side of the gate, clearing the way to it. The two imperial officials then stepped forward and the woman addressed the crowd of young cultivators.

“Welcome disciples of the Great Wind Sect. I am Gatekeeper Aldura and this is my partner Gatekeeper Martell. At the command of the imperial governor, we have opened the way to the Reaches for you and the other sects in preparation for the arrival of the imperial dignitary from the capital. The gates will close behind you and only reopen in a month.”

Her partner then spoke up. “Make no mistake, you will have to struggle to survive, as is the fate of all cultivators who seek ascendance. The lands on the other side of this gate are as dangerous as they are bountiful. The palace uses the Heaven and Earth array to keep the environmental ki high and the local spirits and beasts in check, but they are still more than capable of injuring or killing a mere Foundation Realm cultivator. Even weak parasitical spirits are a grave threat to cultivators at your level.”

“Ugh.” Warin made a disgusted face, and Verus grimaced in agreement.

Cultivators at the Origin and Foundation Realm were very vulnerable to spirits. In particular, weak parasitical spirits loved burrowing into their bodies and attaching themselves to their ki system so they could drain their ki away. Verus had heard many horror stories of such parasites growing until they devoured their host’s core and burst out of their body, killing them. Thankfully, it was easy to keep such weak spirits away with wards, but there would be no wards out in the Reaches.

“Thus, we will be giving you each a weak protective amulet,” the man explained as he held a small golden pendant for them to see. It was shaped like the Archon’s eye and hanging from a simple cord. “These will mimic the natural defenses of a Tempered Realm cultivator and draw on your own ki to protect you from spiritual intrusions. They will also allow your minders to track you down once the test is over, but they won’t protect you from larger spirits. That would defy the point of this exercise. It is to be a brutal battle of wills and a test of faith.”

The woman picked up after the man feel silent. “You will also have to compete with disciples from other sects who have been teleported to other parts of the Reaches. The prizes scattered about the land will draw you together and force you to battle if you wish to claim them. So, struggle to survive and advance your understanding of ki and yourself. Then, perhaps then you will find enlightenment enough to advance to the Tempered Realm and gain an opportunity to represent your sect and this world in the upcoming trials. May the Archon’s grace be with you.”

“Let’s make sure we all go through together,” Warin suggested as the gatekeepers began herding small groups of disciples through the portal. “I don’t want to be separated.”

Escora nodded as she eyed the portal warily. “Ya, I’d feel bad leaving you two all alone in such a dangerous place with no one to protect you. I don’t think you’d last long.”

Verus doubted she was so concerned about them, but simply voiced his own agreement and a few minutes later, the three of them were being ushered toward the spatial gate. Between the two shinning metal pillars, bursts of crackling energy lashed out at the grey slit hovering in the air. It was barely wide enough for one person to step through, and everyone who had walked into it had disappeared without a trace. They had probably been taken to the Reaches, but Verus also couldn’t help but think that maybe they’d simply been disintegrated. It was silly, but so was walking into a tear in reality.

Staring apprehensively at the portal, Verus fought his fear and kept walking toward it. No one else seemed worried, and he didn’t want to look like a fool.

Just as Verus was about to walk through the gate, he felt someone grab his hand. Glancing back, he expected to see Warin, but it was a pale and nervous Escora who’d taken his hand. The next moment, everything faded to grey.