The journey to the Shadow Moon planet took three days, and Ethan spent most of it learning to control his new abilities. The inheritance hadn't just given him knowledge—it had fundamentally changed how he perceived reality itself.
"You're doing it wrong," Nyx said, watching him attempt to form a resonance link with a training crystal. "You're forcing the connection instead of inviting it. The Path of Connection requires subtlety."
Ethan released the energy with a frustrated exhale. They were in the ship's training chamber, a space that somehow existed larger on the inside than the outside. Shadow Moon technology still made his brain hurt.
"I spent my whole life learning to force things," he admitted. "Fighter jets don't respond to subtle requests. You tell them what to do."
"And how well did that work against the Voidborne?" Nyx's tone wasn't cruel, just matter-of-fact. "Brute force fails against enemies who exist outside normal physics. Connection is about harmony, not domination."
She placed her hand on the crystal, and it immediately began to glow with soft light. "Feel how it wants to respond. Every object, every being, every piece of reality has its own energy signature. You don't conquer it—you dance with it."
Ethan tried again, this time letting his energy flow gently toward the crystal instead of forcing it. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the crystal pulsed, responding to his touch. The resonance formed naturally, easily, like breathing.
"Better," Nyx acknowledged. "You're learning. But you'll need to master this before we arrive. The academy will have students from dozens of species, each with different energy types. If you can't resonate with them individually, you can't teach them effectively."
The ship shuddered slightly as it dropped out of faster-than-light travel. Through the viewport, a planet materialized—dark, shrouded in mists that seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.
"Shadow Moon," Nyx announced. "Home of my clan for five thousand years. And your sanctuary for the next three months."
The planet looked ominous from orbit, but as they descended through the atmosphere, Ethan began to see the beauty beneath the shadows. Massive forests of trees with silver leaves that chimed like bells in the wind. Cities built into mountain sides, their architecture flowing and organic rather than rigid. And everywhere, the play of light and shadow creating art that shifted with every passing moment.
"It's beautiful," Dr. Senna breathed, pressing against the viewport. "I've read about Shadow Moon, but descriptions don't do it justice."
"We value balance," Nyx explained. "Light and dark, life and death, connection and solitude. It's what allows us to preserve ancient knowledge without being corrupted by it."
They landed at what Nyx called the Twilight Academy—a sprawling complex built around a natural amphitheater carved into a mountainside. Buildings spiraled upward in defiance of normal architecture, connected by bridges that seemed to be made of solidified shadow.
A delegation waited for them at the landing platform. Dozens of figures, all with Nyx's characteristic shadow-skin and galaxy eyes, though none radiated quite her level of power.
"Grandmother," the leader said, bowing deeply to Nyx. "The clan elders have prepared quarters for your guests and the incoming students. We've also activated the ancient training grounds as you requested."
"Grandmother?" Princess Lyra muttered. "Just how old is she?"
"Old enough to know better than to answer that question," Nyx said with amusement. "Come. I'll show you the facilities before the students arrive."
The tour was overwhelming. Training chambers that could simulate any environment. Libraries containing texts older than most civilizations. Meditation gardens where time flowed differently. And at the heart of it all, the Core Chamber—a massive space where hundreds could practice cultivation simultaneously.
"This is where you'll conduct most of your teaching," Nyx explained. "The chamber amplifies resonance connections, making it easier for students to feel and understand the techniques you're demonstrating."
Ethan stood at the center of the chamber, feeling the energy flows around him. With his enhanced spiritual sense, he could perceive the careful design—every stone placed to optimize energy circulation, every symbol carved to guide rather than trap power.
"When do the students arrive?" Commander Seris asked. She'd been quiet during the journey, likely processing her complicated feelings about defying her mother.
"Tomorrow," Nyx said. "Twenty from each major faction, as agreed. The Celestial Dominion, the Solar Dynasty, the Fenris Pack, the Obsidian Matriarchy, and a dozen others. All of them Core Formation or below, all of them desperate to learn what you have to teach."
"No pressure," Ethan muttered.
"Considerable pressure, actually," Nyx corrected. "If this fails—if students fight, if techniques prove unteachable, if you can't maintain control—the alliance collapses. Every faction returns to fighting over you, and this time they won't bother with negotiations."
"You're really good at motivational speeches," Lyra said dryly.
"I prefer honesty to comfort." Nyx turned to Ethan. "But I believe you can do this. The Immortal Path chose you for a reason. You have one night to prepare. Use it wisely."
That evening, Ethan stood alone in his assigned quarters, looking out at the alien landscape. Somewhere out there, ships were approaching carrying students who would either become allies in reshaping the galaxy or catalysts for its destruction.
He pulled up his system interface, checking his status.
**[ETHAN REID - REALITY ANCHOR]**
**[REALM: MID CORE FORMATION]**
**[RESONANCE BONDS: 5 ACTIVE]**
**[IMMORTAL PATH TECHNIQUES: 23 MASTERED, 147 IN PROGRESS]**
**[STUDENTS ARRIVING: 18 HOURS, 34 MINUTES]**
**[PRIMARY QUEST UPDATED: ESTABLISH FUNCTIONAL ACADEMY]**
**[SUCCESS CONDITION: TRAIN 50+ STUDENTS WITHOUT MAJOR CONFLICT]**
**[FAILURE CONDITION: STUDENT DEATH OR FACTIONAL WARFARE]**
**[REWARD: ADVANCED CULTIVATION INSIGHTS]**
**[FAILURE PENALTY: UNKNOWN]**
Ethan closed the interface and tried to sleep. Tomorrow, he'd find out if one human could really teach an entire galaxy a better way to survive.
Or if he'd just gathered all his enemies in one place to make their job easier.
Through the resonance bonds, he felt his companions' emotions—Senna's concern, Lyra's aggressive confidence, Seris's calculated hope, the Empress's watchful assessment, and Nyx's ancient patience.
He wasn't alone. That had to count for something.
The Shadow Moon rose over the alien horizon, and Ethan finally allowed himself to rest.
The real test began tomorrow.