Lost in the abyss for an indeterminable amount of time, Pent’s blurry consciousness felt like it was submerged deep underwater. On occasion, he could hear a faint voice reading out updates, but it was all garbled and never quite registered coherently in his thoughts. Nothing really did, for that matter—aside from the visuals present.

White streaks of light and blue silhouettes covered in crisscrossing dark lines constantly flashed in the periphery of his vision. They beckoned to him, tempting him to proceed further below. Pent didn’t resist, but he was unable to move as he wished, even as a cold, soothing clarity started to return.

Reflecting with a clearer mind, it felt like he’d been reduced to a few measly bits of data, caught in a dream-like computer program of immense scope… He was truly no more than a speck of dust in that world.

[Scan complete.]

[Outlander A-894 model successfully uploaded…]

[User Penthus Argyris is ready for mental transference. Destination pending…]

The voice was unchanged, but the words it spoke were suddenly comprehensible now. And as the pressure weighing on him lessened, Pent's eagerness and nerves manifested in full force. His mind began writhing, attempting to escape the imposed shackles.

[Penthus? Can you hear me?]

He quickly calmed; it was Hauss.

‘Yes.’ Instinctively Pent tried to reply, but he found his mouth sealed shut, just like all his senses. A fresh bout of panic swept in.

[Calm down. Steady. Your mind is currently connected to one of the neural networks managed by the Great Sage…] Hauss’ gentle voice pierced through the chaos. [To communicate is actually quite easy. Imagine a blank piece of paper and mold your will into the pen. Whatever you intend to say, write it on that sheet, and I should be able to interpret it.]

Concentrating on the given task greatly eased Pent’s stress. His struggles lessened as he began gathering his scattered thoughts into a scene. He was unclear exactly why, but for some reason, the image he eventually formed in his mindscape was that of olden times.

Bathed in the dim, flickering light of a candle, Pent dipped his feathered quill into an inkwell and began scrawling across the rough page, mind giving birth to voice.

“Yes. I can hear you.”

[Well done, Penthus. You’ve picked up on it quickly—]

“I’d prefer if you call me Pent,” he interrupted.

[Very well. Would you like me to update your name in the citizenship registry?]

Pent paused for a moment, contemplating whether he should request a completely new name—one that was his own. A fresh identity to accompany him on this new journey was indeed an appealing idea, but a part of him couldn’t let go just yet. There was still much Pent had to achieve before he would be satisfied.

“Yes, please.”

The presence of Hauss departed for a few seconds before it returned with the news.

[Update complete. Your name on any citizenship records in The Empyrean or the Dark Sun Regency will now list you as Pent Argyris. With this finished, we can now commence with the final step in our proceedings before your mind will disembark toward the designated avatar. You must now choose which faction you will be joining.]

Pent felt a touch of relief as the vision in his mind’s eye twisted and distorted before revealing a new scene. Slowly, the omnipresent darkness retreated, leaving behind a distinct gold line that appeared in the center of the ‘screen’. An emblem soon emerged on either side of it.

It really did remind him of a choice present at the beginning of a video game as he observed the floating symbols with interest.

On the left was the Dark Sun Regency. Their emblem was very simple. It appeared as a hollow black circle containing a reddish-gold pentagram.

The emblem of The Empyrean, on the other hand, was one Pent couldn’t quite make sense of.

It looked like some kind of flower; intertwining petals of blue and white wrapped around a pristine golden core that resembled two hands coming together in prayer.

Pent shook his head and turned his thoughts further inward while Hauss waited patiently.

Demons and Celestials. Elves, Titans, Gnomes, Giants, and many more races straight out of legend and fantasy dominated these two civilizations. It was inconceivable. So much so that Pent had relegated all of the information contained in the packet Jonathan had given him to depths of his mind. He felt strange as it all resurfaced, forced to confront it head-on.

He almost would have preferred the bizarre, big-headed, and sometimes bug-like imaginations of aliens in TV and film. For some reason, that seemed more believable—easier to accept. Because the alternative indicated that humanity had long been in the sights of these two civilizations, influenced and manipulated by them to an extent unknown… His mind started swimming.

‘Ha…’ Pent groaned loudly in an attempt to sober himself up. “Any advice, Hauss?” He knew the rough estimates of both faction’s populations, racial make-up, social structure, and so on, but… they were vague details at best. There wasn’t much that eluded to their values and culture... But that was all secondary, anyway.

What really Pent wanted to know was where he would excel. Where the opportunity for him was the greatest. That was the goal of the Pioneers, was it not? To essentially infiltrate these civilizations and achieve the highest status possible to pave the way for other Humans…

[I thought you’d never ask.] Hauss said with some cheer. [Let’s take a look at the Status Sheet that was compiled during the scan of your body.]

The emblems faded from sight and a rectangular box of information suddenly popped up in the foreground.

If he wasn’t currently a disembodied consciousness, Pent’s mouth would have twitched. Are they sure this wasn’t a video game?

Pent Argyris, Male, Age 16

Attributes:

Body - 2 (Deteriorating)

Mind - 8

Soul - 17

Cultivation:

Method(s) - N/A

Progress - N/A

Physique: Low-grade, Poor

Traits: Unidentifiable Vision-related Power (Naturally Awakened); Intermediate State

Affinities (range from 1-100):

Elemental - 28 (Average)

Destructive - 73 (Above-Average, near Sublime)

Curative - 68 (Above-Average)

Astral - 7 (Poor)

“Ok…” Pent started, “A few questions…”

[Go ahead.]

“What are the attribute averages for humans?”

[The average unawakened human adult will have values of 5-5-4. Average Awakened: 7-8-7]

Pent sorted that information away with some surprise while his mind continued to turn. “You mention the term ‘Awakened’ and so does this sheet… What does that mean exactly?”

[It refers to the process of awakening one’s untapped potential—occasionally resulting in a mutation. This occurs once the body is sufficiently saturated with Aether and a resonance with the Laws of the universe develops. You, Humans, have come to know this process as the Deep Sleep.]

“Y-You mean… You know what’s causing it?” Pent’s consciousness started trembling. He couldn’t fathom that the mystery that had been plaguing the population for years—tearing apart countless lives and families—was just referred to so casually, almost dismissively.

Does the government know about this? They must. But is there any solution?

[Yes. Through our years of tracking the various Aether Waves in close proximity with our galaxy, we have learned that such a phenomenon occurs in all the populations newly exposed to Aether. People will continue to awaken until the Aether settles.]

“T-Then… is there any way to stop it?”

[Outside of unawakened spending the rest of their lives in isolation chambers, no. However, there are many who will never reach the point of saturation required to trigger an awakening due to their poor affinity with Aether. These people have what we refer to as ‘Mortal Physiques'. They lack the qualifications to become cultivators.]

Hauss continued, [There is another option — which is to force a safer awakening using tailor-made Aether compounds. However, this requires prior knowledge of one's affinities, and these elixirs are expensive to make as the resources required are scarce.]

Pent abruptly felt a great sense of loss and sunk into silence for a while.

“...Okay, so how will my Status Sheet help me make this choice of faction?”

[There is one key piece of information: the existence of your Intermediate State trait.]

“Hmm?”

[There is a Sect known as the Palace of Ancients in the Dark Sun Regency. They regard this quality of yours with tremendous importance. And in addition, you are an Awakened. A leader of your race. The Great Sage anticipates that they will spare no cost to recruit once they learn of your existence—which they most assuredly will.]

“What exactly is this Intermediate State?” Pent asked with some trepidation. Hauss seemed very positive about his prospects, but he was still wary of the mechanisms of the Great Sage and these extraterrestrial factions. He didn’t mind some advice, but in general, he felt like making his own decisions would be the safest bet in the long run.

[The Intermediate State refers to one of the three ‘states of being’ as classified in the core beliefs of the Nether Cultivation Doctrine. These states are the state of life, the state of death, and the state of passage or intermediacy—that which hovers in between. When approaching death, most people will only enter the Intermediate State for a few short moments, but some—such as yourself—manage to stop themselves there permanently...]

An idea suddenly clicked in Pent’s mind.

Is that why my Lifeflame is grey? When proceeding from green to black, there always existed a few flickers of grey. He’d seen it many times when observing the Lifeflames of dying patients, and he’d always wondered what it meant that his own flame was grey in permanence.

There was a long period of time in Pent’s early years of researching his ability that he felt like many secrets of his power were locked behind this answer. In particular, the secret of how to return to green.

And if he returned to green, could his body recover...?

“This Palace of Ancients… Why do they so highly value the Intermediate State?”

[The Great Sage does not have access to this information as it is related to the Sect’s core cultivation legacy. To learn more, you would need to speak with their representatives personally.]

For the first time, Hauss hadn’t been able to provide an answer. Pent was left somewhat shocked by the occurrence.

“I see… Well, what is the first step for the avatars? What I mean is, what happens when we inhabit the bodies — are there any arrangements for us?”

[All avatars are stationed at a Nexus City within the territory of the two factions. In the Dark Sun Regency, a recruitment convention will be held to welcome the first batch of Pioneers, whereas The Empyrean will be hosting baptisms in their Temples of Ascension. Of course, Pioneers have the option to venture out on their own, seeking out neutral organizations like mercenary groups or traders, or to do whatever else it is they desire. Those who wish to roam unfettered will be given a stipend that should last them about a month.]

“What is the Temple of Ascension?”

[It is the primary religion and governing body of The Empyrean. All cultivators who wish to gain citizenship there must become a member.]

‘That’s going to push a lot of humans away,’ Pent thought to himself. Ever since the emergence of the Contractors, religious fanaticism had reached unprecedented heights on Earth. All sorts of cults and groups were constantly popping up… but they were almost unanimously in opposition to Contractors.

[You might not find the Temple of Ascension as invasive or restrictive as you may guess.] Hauss added, evidently sensing his worries. [And the Great Sage would also like all human Pioneers to know that this choice is not final. If you enter one faction and don’t like what you see or hear, you may request a change of avatar.]

“Got it.” That sentence had erased Pent’s final worries. His choice was made.

“I’ll follow the advice of the Great Sage and enter the Dark Sun Regency. How would I go about contacting the Palace of Ancients?” Even if he didn’t join them, Pent wanted to at least learn more about this Intermediate State.

[Very well. And don't worry, as long as you attend the recruitment convention, they will surely reach out to you.]

There was a pause as the scenery shifted. Pent’s Status Sheet disappeared and the emblem of the Dark Sun Regency was magnified in his vision. It glowed with a scarlet light, leaving the faint scent of ash and blood intermingling in his nose as he was pulled back into the abyss.

Soon, he would arrive in the lands of the Demons. It was fitting in a way, Pent mused in his final moments of clarity.

In the eyes of others, he’d always been a devil.

[I wish you luck, Pent. The Great Sage has tremendous expectations for the future of humanity…]

Hauss’s voice faded, and then, there was only the suffocating darkness once more. Pent floated aimlessly in a stupor.

[User selection processed. Avatar registered. Remodeling of Avatar will commence in 3… 2… 1…]

A lengthy silence followed.

[Remodeling complete. Body attribute adjusted to minimum acceptable standards. Mental transference initiated…]

A vortex akin to a raging whirlpool appeared from within the black curtain, effortlessly pulling Pent’s mind into its current.

Down and around he spun in a dizzying whirl before a loud popping noise shocked his senses. In the next moment, everything stilled and the pressure slowly lifted.

Groaning with discomfort, Pent’s eyes blinked open...