The teacher was slightly impressed by Alaric but what shocked her was the golden array. That was something not everyone had the honour to see during their entire lifetime. She watched as Alaric tried to guide Aurora to forming her array. By the end of the class only she had been able to create a single pattern. But she appeared to be depressed. Her new friend had formed the complete basic array and he was the one who had guided her. And here she thought she could be better than him.
The class ended and she promised to see him later and see his friend. Maybe she could also befriend him. What she had come to know was that Alaric was open minded and had his own policies. She could only imagine how responsible he was going to be in the future. After they parted, she joined her friends who made fun of her as they headed to the alchemy class. Later that day, she went to Alaric who introduced Rey to her as she also apologized to him. Alaric had given her a look that asked how come she had not apologized to him. She just smiled and apologized as he gave a satisfied smile.
What she had just accumulated about Alaric flew to dust immediately they started chanting with Rey. She even regret the part she thought he was responsible. With a friend like Rey, he would lose some responsibility. They were heading to the library. She was going to study but she just shook her head when she learnt what the two had done to get punished. She even almost tripped when she had them call the female attendant Madame. Pig. If she just followed them everywhere she was surely going to be joining them. But she was disappointed that the two had had fun in the first week unlike her who had been in school all the time.
***
Since the headmaster saw how Alaric opened his meridians, he decided to give him a personal cultivation room. Rey and Aurora were oftentimes allowed to go and have their meridian tampering and opening process there. Aurora had once asked Rey why Alaric usually never went to cultivate. Rey only told her to wait for the day he would go to cultivate and she would know why. She had thought that they were hiding something but the day Alaric went to cultivate, he took two months and he had another set of meridians opened. She sighed. She could never beat him.
When they stayed for about a week to open a single meridian, then stayed about another week before going to cultivate again, alaric used to take a one or two months break before he could go back and when he came out he had another set opened.
Three years had passed now. Almost everyone was in the cryptic stage. Origin Academy usually emphasized that one needed to open atleast 90 meridians so that they could proceed to the cryptic plane. This ensured that everyone who attended Origin Academy would one day become a supreme.
By the end of three years, those who had an urge to enter the Cryptic Plane had already proceeded and were already in the early stages. Alaric and his friend needed to open all 108 meridians. They came from a powerful background and their parents could not allow them to proceed without all meridians opened. Alaric had promised himself that he would not proceed to the Cryptic Plane without 108 opened meridians. This was the responsibility Aurora used to think of. Unlike them who were forced by their parents, Alaric knew that he needed to open all 108 meridians. Many people from a weak background as his often moved on in the 63 to 81 meridian range. It was a testimony that Alaric was patient.
Those in the Cryptic Plane were now trying to ready themselves for the inter academy competitions which were in two years. If they could atleast get into the fourth or third stage of Cryptic Plane by then, they would top the early stages of Cryptic plane during the competitions. What was important to note was that fights were fought according to plane and stage. Those of the early stages could only fight those of the early stages and those of middle stages and late stages did the same. Some were known to fight across stages and were goated as genius.
If someone was in the fourth stage and fought with someone in the fifth stage and won, it could be said that someone of the early stages had fought against someone of the middle stages. Someone of the eighth stage who fought someone of the ninth stage and won, it could be said that someone of the middle stages won against someone of the late stages. Though, this could be caused by two things;
a). The grade. First grade geniuses were most known for fighting against someone at a higher stage than them since they were slightly powerful.
b). Number of meridians opened. A person who had 90 meridians opened could be at the peak of a plane and a person with all 108 meridians opened could be classified to be at the peak also. The difference in meridians came to play. This person with 108 meridians would have more power than the person with 90 meridians opened.
Rey was in the process of opening his 108th meridian and Aurora had just finished opening her's. Alaric was still at the 99th meridian which was the 11th set. He was going to be entering his cultivation soon. He was waiting for Rey to come out then he would start. After two days, Rey came out with all meridians opened. What was remaining now was to start filling their meridians with energy. They knew they were late since others were already into real cultivation. They watched as Alaric walked into the room and went to their respective rooms. For the next two months Alaric was going to be away.
Alaric knew one thing no one else knew. At the 12th set, he was going to have to do it on his own. If he failed then all his three years pain would be in vain. He sat in meditation position and started the process. He had gained more pain tolerance and he knew that he could stay awake during the process. Time passed and he did not know how long it took him to open the first meridian. It was slow and more painful than the other times. He gritted his teeth and proceeded to the second. Unknown to him, he had taken two months to open only three meridians. His friends who had been waiting for him to come out were shocked when he did not.
It took another two months for him to open the sixth and the last three took two months also. It was like the universe was happy to have a new person enter the Cryptic Plane and it personally decided to help. Immediately Alaric opened his 12th set, origin energy flowed to him filling his first set of meridians. This was to show that it was satisfied with his sacrifice. Alaric opened his eyes after that incident. He could feel power coursing through his body and he could tell that he had grown stronger. He was now sixteen years old. He was also in the Cryptic Plane. This was something to be proud of. He even was in the early stages. Once he started his cultivation, he would be in the 2nd stage of the Cryptic Plane.
Alaric stood up and the ground seemed to be far than he had left it. He had thought that he had only gotten stronger but it seemed he was taller now standing at 6'. He could even feel the clothes he was wearing tight on his skin. Even his t-shirt did not reach his waist. The sweat pants he was wearing were tight on his calves. He could only shake his head. He needed to buy new clothes for all those that he had with him had all now become shorter. Alaric concentrated on the energy inside him and he lifted his finger. He then felt power coursing towards his finger and a silver lightning danced on his finger. He pushed it further and the lightning struck the roof and charred it black.
A maniacal laugh escaped his lips as he let the lightning encircle his entire body. Unknown to him, the crystal's seal disappeared and it's words appeared in his mind. Now that he could see everything inside his body, he saw the seal on his origin source. The first thing he felt was a heart breaking pain which was followed by anger. Who was it that dared to seal his origin source. If this was a test, he was going to make them pay. He was going to find a way to destroy the seal and find whoever did that to him. Then he was going to make them suffer then, if possible kill them.
If people could read his mind, they would shake their head. How could he think of fighting those who sealed him? If they could seal his origin source did that not mean they were strong and dangerous? It was then that a voice came to him from inside his head.
'I know of the way to unseal your origin source. The only reason the seal is able to seal your origin source is because you are weak,' a childlike feminine voice spoke on his head. Alaric looked around and saw no one
" Who are you? Where are you just show yourself coward!" Alaric said but he was replied with a gentle laugh that made him even more angry.
'Just as expected of you. Still as arrogant as you shoulld be,' the voice spoke again.
" If I find you, don't blame me for being rough," Alaric said but he was met by another irritating laughter in his head. If someone saw him talking to himself they would think the pain of opening all meridians had driven him mad.
'I am in your head and am happy my master has entered into true cultivation. Kept me waiting long enough,' the voice spoke agan.
" Who are you?!" Alaric asked almost screaming.
'You don't have to speak to talk to me, just think of what you want to ask me and I will reply,' the voice said.
'Same question, who are you?' Alaric asked again.
'I am the crystal you destroyed during your awakening trial,' the voice replied.
'Which one? First or second?' Alaric asked.
'You could say both,' the voice said, 'I am the conciousness that resided in the crystal waiting for my master to come and free me. Who knew it would take that long,' the voice spoke.