"Of course the Echo Vault's a little shop."
Yet another sigh left his lips.
Tearing his eyes away from the shop and towards the serene cave.
Just an open ground.
The light previously mentioned seemed to be coming from deep within the pool of water that illuminated the room.
He turned around, there were no other escapes, the shaft rope had been cut off and he'd honestly rather drown that go back up that shaft.
He dragged himself over to the pool, keeping his shoulder in place and carefully avoiding his hands.
He reached the pool, bent over, dipping his hands into the water.
"Ahh"
Almost like his body had melted away with the pain.
The blood, dirt and rope fibres within his palms drifted off his hands, enveloped by the water.
"..."
He remained there, washing away his pain, eyes shut tightly—
Feeling a warm glow next to his face, he opened his eyes to see the water gleaming with an otherworldly glow.
But the water seemed even more soothing now, he could feel the chill stretch up to his broken shoulder.
"..."
The next second, he felt the pain subside before ultimately, leaving his body.
With wide eyes, he shuffled back.
Taking a wide areal view of the cave.
"The Aetherwell."
He muttered to himself.
Awakened schools were normally built under Aetherwells— natural sites or locations where the flow of Aether was almost alien.
Aetherwells enhanced one's reach of Aether, which determined how much you could do with it.
Unfortunately, Aegon could do nothing to begin with. Yes, he could feel it in the air like sugar in the mouth except within every cell of your body.
Maybe because he hasn't ever felt Aether before, or maybe because his Aether Control was 'Pathetically Poor.'
Every breath felt fresher, more invigorating and just cleaner.
The water had somehow fixed his hands and shoulders.
~THUD.~
He fell back onto the floor.
Dust bellowed up.
Yes, he was healed but nothing could wipe away the amount of fatigue that tugged at him.
"..."
He remained there for about a minute before sitting up and facing the shop.
"Echo Vault my ass."
He scowled.
Dragging himself off the ground and heading for the shop.
~KKKKRR.~
The old wood groaned under his weight.
He moved more weight onto the floor— to make sure it'd hold without sending him falling to hell.
It would.
Then proceeded to push the door open.
~Ding. Ding~
A tiny bell above the door rang out.
He stepped in— fortunately, the room was still illuminated. Unfortunately, it was by a single lightbulb.
Small. Barely enough to contain more than two people.
A bookshelf stood at the side with a series of books—
"Finally!"
He exclaimed.
Then he saw it.
The most prominent— the reason for all of this.
It stood top centre.
Similar book design with the Poems Of Etrigan. Red-black outer cover with golden writing design that read 'The Art Of Dual Cultivation.'
He reached for it. Grabbed it. Then proceeded out the shop.
He needed real light.
Placing the book next to the side of the pool for light. He began to shuffle through the pages.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
Dual Cultivation is more than what it seems, it isn't just a degenerate practice — it involves entanglement of Aether...
Which is only possible when both souls are intertwined and fully bare.
It is a process that involves drawing Aether when engaged, but also pulling on that of your partner's.
They will both flow in their direction, like like-charges unattraction. They glow with within their own lines of flux particular and different for every person.
But during this process, when two souls meet the lines falter cease to see the difference between one and the other.
The user proceeds to draw on both theirs and the partner's Aether's line.
Temporarily at first but then the lines begin to understand and flow to the user on their own.
At that point, Affinity is permanently duplicated.
And the process is complete.
• · ─ ·✶· ─ · •
"That's it! Damn, all that for two pages."
Aegon hissed.
The actual process was about two pages long, while the rest were filled with sex positions that could enhance the flow.
It was enlightening, but... Aegon had a fatal issue, till this day he hadn't been able to draw on Aether.
He could feel it, however, it was drawing upon it that was the issue.
He tossed the book to the side.
Sprawled on the cave, back down and staring up at the flowing water pattern being made on the wall from within the pool.
'I don't care how, I have to figure this shit out.'
He vowed while dragging himself back up.
Now for the next problem, how exactly he was go get out of here.
He turned to the water and shrugged. If light came from beneath, maybe it was because it came from the outside world.
Aegon huffed a puff of air, hot into a diver's position— then kept into the water.
~SPLASH.~
Swimming further and further down, pushing back the current and trying to keep his eyes open.
Then he felt it—
The inversion of water pressure—now, further down was lighter and above was heavier.
He didn't have time to question, he kept swimming, pushing with everything left within him until—
"Hhhhhh—AHHhh!"
He resurfaced.
Stretching his hand out, grabbing onto the edge of the pool.
He dragged himself out, sprawled onto the side of the pool.
Dragged his hair away from his eyes to see.
The serene crescent moon hung in the sky like the biggest contrast— he'd just survived death yet again and yet, time didn't care.
The first thing which caught his eyes was a certain building— particularly, it was his dorm— Dravon Hall.
He stared at the window of his room, then the pool he'd just crawled out of— it was the pool out his room window.
Lifting himself up, he moved into the dorm.
Regardless of his wet clothes that dropped water in his wake, it didn't matter right now.
He was exhausted.
As he moved through the halls, murmurs and whispers erupted all around him.
He pushed the door of his room.
The two were already there. Their heads swerved to him in unison.
Quinn's brows knitted together, curious yet still cold.
"What happened to you?"
"It's a long story."