The Grey Ghost: Book Two of the Archaic Ring Series

by Reed R. Stevens

  Seeing the bitter look in the old man’s eyes, Nolan said, “So you died here? Then are you from this world? Do you know why it’s all grey and strange?”

  “Who said I was from this world? I arrived here just as you did, using the Millennial Ring!”

  Nolan’s body grew tense. “What are you talking about?” The stone ring within his chest, no doubt. How did he know about it?

  “As far as I know, the Millennial Ring is the only way of travelling to this realm. I am from Venara, same as you.”

  “What’s the deal with this place? Would you mind telling me?”

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve spoken to someone. For you to have shown up here, it must be fate!” The old man floated down like a drifting ball of cotton, his transparent feet touching upon the ground without a sound. “Let’s see, where should I begin?”

  “It’s all grey and lifeless outside this glade. Can we start with that?”

  “Ah, about that… I’m not too sure. I suspect it to be the effects of some grand arrayment, though I’ve never heard of one that was capable of sealing an entire world.”

  Nolan’s head was surrounded with question marks. “That flew right over my head.”

  The old man tugged at his messy beard. “Surely you’ve heard of arrayments before. Arrayment practitioners are as common as the clouds. I say, even the most desolate village on the most barren continent should have at least a few arrayment practitioners. Just how long has my conscious been dormant?”

  “Um, am I supposed to have heard of an arrayment before?”

  The old man blinked a few times and then broke out into hysterical laughter. “What will you tell me next, that you’ve never heard of martial cultivators either?”

  “Can you just tell me? And what were you saying about a grand arrayment? You made it sound like this world wasn’t always like this.”

  “If you’re ignorant as to what arrayments are, then there’s no point in explaining my suspicions. I doubt you’ll be able to make any sense of them.” He began to pace around Nolan with silent steps. “As for the state of this world, it’s safe to assume that it was once inhabited by its own peoples, that it had many distinctive cultures and societies. Even during the hours before my death, I was able to sense dozens of cities on this landmass alone.”

  “Whoa, hold on. There’re cities out there?” Nolan pointed at the lifeless forestry, suddenly anxious. “How can there be people so far from the glade? Could they all be ridiculously strong?”

  The old ghost stopped for a moment and shook his head. “The nearest city is at least a thousand leagues from this place, though that hardly matters. Even when I first entered this realm, I hadn’t been able to sense a single living creature. Were it not for the strange seal on this world, it’s likely that not even a speck of dust would remain of those distant cities.”

  Looking up at the monochrome sky, Nolan felt indescribably small and insignificant. “What do you think happened here?”

  “I don’t know.” The old ghost looked off into the forest, his steel-coloured eyes sagging, pensive. “The only thing I am sure of is that this world has been sealed in such a state for an incalculable amount of time. At the very least, millions of years.”

  “Millions of years?” Nolan sat down as he suppressed a chill.

  While he was aware of the longevity of planets and stars, it was still difficult to grasp the gravity of what he’d just heard. Why am I in the twilight zone? Everything’s even black and white, for fucksakes.

  Back in his freshman year, if someone had told him that he’d be one of the only people to survive a legitimate apocalypse then he obviously wouldn’t have believed it. Not to mention that one day he’d be able to jump onto a five storey building, or be the only person from Earth—or Venara—to have visited three worlds.

  “We can discuss such things at a later time.” The old man took a seat across from him. “As I said, I died in this glade. I had the misfortune of crossing paths with two terrifying opponents, and just barely escaped into this realm after being fatally wounded. In an attempt to survive, I severed the connection between my spirit and my body, and managed to retain my consciousness only because of the perverse density of Origin Energy within this realm.”

  Still wary at the sudden company, Nolan sighed. “That sounds rough. Sorry to hear that.”

  When did he ask for this guy’s life story? He cupped his face with his hands. I might as well hear him out. He and Nyla were stuck in this place, and apparently the old man was too. The glade was only so big, so they’d have no choice but to interact with him from today onward. As far as he was concerned, he’d rather get along with the ghost as best as he could than constantly worry about the old man’s whereabouts.

  As if he could sense Nolan’s frustration, the ghost cleared his throat and continued. “Anyway, after idling around in this glade for nearly a thousand years as a spirit, I could no longer bear the torturous monotony of the passing days. In the end, I dedicated every last ounce of my spiritual energy to constructing a spirit-breaking arrayment in an attempt to erase my existence from this world.”

  “Jesus…”

  “Come again?”

  “I’m sorry, it seems like you’ve been through a lot.”

  “Indeed.” The old man’s face grew weighted with melancholy. “The Origin Energy of this realm grew turbulent just before your initial arrival, presumably when you bonded with the Millennial Ring. It seems that the resultant fluctuations of energy have resurrected my broken consciousness. My spirit must have been subconsciously absorbing the Origin Energies of this realm during all these years. I wonder how much time has passed…”

  “I don’t know what to say,” Nolan frowned.

  They’d only just met, but they had already moved on from the mysteries of the universe to the old man’s depressing and pitiable tale of his final struggle with life and death. A thousand years in this glade with nobody to talk to, nothing to do, not even a book to read? Nolan couldn’t blame him for attempting to take his own life.

  “Don’t worry, lad. These are just the ramblings of a deprived old man.” Surprising Nolan, he shot up to his feet with a wide, determined smile and raised a ghostly fist into the air with zeal. “This is fate! Fate, I say!”

  “What do you mean?”

  “This great universe is governed by the Law of Causality. That is to say, all things happen for a reason!” He pointed a finger at Nolan. “You, a weak lad with no cultivation, were somehow able to get your hands on what is quite possibly the most valuable treasure in existence, enabling you to meet me, the Great… Name… What was my name?”

  “You forgot?”

  “Ahem. Regardless, the fact that my spirit clung to life until you arrived here can only mean that we’re destined to meet. Thank your lucky stars, lad, for fate has determined you to be my final disciple, and my only successor!”

  “Let’s not jump the gun here,” Nolan said. “Who said I wanted to become your disciple?” He already had the Ancestral Body Technique, so he didn’t think he had any need for a teacher. “I’m not saying we can’t be friends, it’s just…”

  As if reading his thoughts, the man put on a smug grin as pride spilled from his shining eyes. “Oho, just because you got your hands on an invaluable inheritance, you think that I won’t be of any assistance? Let me tell you, lad, I was once the most venerated Arrayment Master of my time!”

  “What’s an Arrayment Master?”

  The old ghost swelled up with pride. “They are the peak of arrayment practitioners! An Arrayment Master is able to manipulate their inner energies in a way that causes it to react with the Origin Energy in the atmosphere. To put it simply, one can rely on the energies around them to do just about anything.”

  “And when you say ‘just about anything,’ you mean?”

  “I mean exactly what I say. There are arrayments for every purpose. For instance, only arrayment practitioners can create essence fusion objects, like your frie
nd’s bow. Talismans, protection barriers, beast-taming and illusionary techniques, even enslavement contracts, all of these can only exist because of arrayment practitioners.”

  “What about alchemy?”

  The old ghost crossed his arms. “Only a talented arrayment practitioner can become a competent alchemist.”

  “Who would win in a fight between an arrayment practitioner and a normal cultivator, if they were around the same cultivation level?”

  “Nine times out of ten, an arrayment practitioner would win.”

  Nolan liked those odds. “What gives them the upper hand?”

  The old man tugged at his ghostly beard, a confident grin appearing on his lips. “Not to mention essence fusion weapons, countless thousands of offensive arrayments exist. Not just that, a capable practitioner can completely conceal their presence, not to mention conjure traps and defensive barriers.”

  “That does sound pretty useful.”

  “Hey now, don’t look down on arrayment practitioners. Listen boy, talented practitioners can even detect poison! It’s a skill that’s evoked jealousy from martial cultivators for longer than you can fathom. Do you know how many great people have lost their lives to an evening bowl of soup? I’m giving you the chance to learn such a skill, and countless others. Take a good look at things. Isn’t this the miracle of your lifetime?”

  Seeing that the old man had grown smug, Nolan pointed toward the centre of the field. “The miracle of my lifetime was obtaining the Ancestral Body Technique. After that, even though it was also one of the worst days of my life, it’d have to be when I’d found the ring.”

  “The third miracle then,” he rasped impatiently. “What reason do you have to refuse my offer?”

  “I never that said I was turning you down.” The old ghost had referred to the Ancestral Body Technique as an ‘invaluable inheritance,’ confirming its value in Nolan’s heart. He’d originally felt that he had no need for a teacher, but if these arrayment techniques turned out to be compatible with his current training methods then what was the harm in learning them? “Old man, if I become an arrayment practitioner, can I still cultivate martial arts?”

  “That goes without saying.”

  “But my cultivating speed will take a hit right? No matter how you look at it, I’ll have to dedicate a lot of time to studying arrayment techniques.”

  The old ghost rolled his eyes. “The difference will be made up by the arrayment techniques and heightened spiritual sense that you’ll inevitably develop. I don’t know how things are in this era, but in my day people only became martial cultivators if they lacked the talent to become an arrayment practitioner.”

  “Are they that much better?”

  The gaze of the old ghost contained a hint of incredulity as if he were speaking to a simpleton who lacked common sense. “Arrayment practitioners can fight people with higher cultivations than them, since they rely on a different skillset and using a different type of energy. And I don’t mean by just a few levels.”

  If the old man was telling the truth, then he must have lived in an era when most people were arrayment practitioners. That meant that he’d been trapped in the glade long enough for the world to go through some big changes, and that was only on Venara. Nolan had spent a just over half of a year in this realm, but had only been missing from Redfox Village for four days. For society on Venara to have gone through such a change, just how much time had this man spent inside of the glade?

  “Let me think about it.”

  “What is there to think about?” The ghost floated over and urged him. “What does it matter if you practice both martial cultivation and arrayment techniques? You have the Millennial Ring! If there’s one thing you don’t lack, it’s time!”

  “Wait a minute, do you know how to work the ring?”

  “How did you return if you don’t know?” The ghost made no effort to hide an unimpressed look. “To enter this realm, simply fill the ring with enough inner essence. It’s powered by a separate source, but it’ll react if provided with enough energy. Your first transfer was likely powered by the ring itself, though now you seem to meet the most basic requirements. I estimate that you can remain here for a bit over a year.” He straightened his posture. “When I was alive, each visit lasted for about forty years.”

  “Do you know how to leave?”

  “I only know that the ring will expel you of its own accord, abruptly and always unannounced. Also, no matter how much energy is poured into the ring, it can only be activated once every thirty-five days.”

  “I’m not going to lie, I’m tempted. Still, if you can’t even remember your own name, how are you supposed to teach me arrayment techniques?”

  “My memory loss is only temporary. I remember more with each passing day. Besides, I haven’t forgotten a single thing regarding arrayments, for they’re the only things that I could never forget!”

  “Alright then,” said Nolan. “I’ll let you teach me about arrayments.” Whether or not his new acquaintance was full of it, he would figure out soon enough.

  Smiling in triumph, the old ghost flew a full circle around Nolan before hovering in front of him with an excited expression. “Well then, it’s settled.” He cleared his throat in an exaggerated manner and then rested his hands on his hips, sticking his chest out with gusto. “I hereby accept you as my last disciple, the sole successor to the Myriad Arrayment Mosaic Sect! Now, kowtow in respect and proclaim me as your master!”

  Nolan cringed. “If you think I’m about to drop on all fours and grovel, you’re dreaming.”

  “I’ve never taken on such an unfilial disciple…” The ghost put an ashen hand on his forehead. “To think that I would have such a day.”

  Ignoring the ghost’s mumblings, Nolan said, “And I’m definitely not calling you master. Give me a minute, I’ll think of a name for you.”

  “A—absurd!” The ghost’s face contorted in a sudden rage. “You presume to bestow a name upon me like some common pet? Who do you think you are? You’re lucky that I’m dead, boy, else you’d be the only spirit in this glade!”

  “What, but you want me to call you master? What am I, your slave? And what are you, nice, mean? Pick one and stick to it.”

  From the moment that the old ghost had first appeared, Nolan couldn’t help but feel that the old man seemed somewhat familiar. Seeing him explode with anger, his thick and messy eyebrows furrowing as he began to let out a long stream of unexpected curses, the similarities finally clicked in Nolan’s mind. This guy’s temperament was just like his uncle Greg’s. Behind his uncle’s grey eyes lived a swollen ego that was brimming with pride. He seemed nice enough on the surface, but he was easily frustrated and quick to anger.

  Nolan turned around and shrugged his shoulders. “Fine, forget it then. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back.”

  “W—wait!” The old ghost floated over, stopped right in front of Nolan. “Dear disciple! I’ve been bound to this glade for so long, I let my temper get away from me. Those words I just said, I didn’t mean them.”

  “I’ll call you Uncle Grey. That’s not too bad, right?”

  “A splendid name!” The ghost nodded vigorously, hope overflowing from his eyes. “So…you’ll accept me as your master?”

  “Calling someone ‘master’ is too degrading. I’ll acknowledge you as my teacher, but only under one condition.”

  The old man had been deprived of human contact for an unbelievable amount of time, so there was no way that he’d drive Nolan off.

  “Condition?”

  “You have to teach Nyla too.”

  “Is that the name of your woman?”

  “That’s the name of my friend.”

  The man eyed Nolan wearily for a moment, but then deflated, his shoulders drooping. “Why not? She seems pleasant enough.” A pitiful smile crept onto his transparent face as he hurriedly floated after Nolan. “Anyhow, I’m not one to turn down good company.”

  Nolan felt a bit guilt
y as he began walking back toward the glade, but then couldn’t help but laugh after thinking about how he’d made Jason call him ‘master’ for weeks.

  Chapter Twenty: Three’s Company

  Nearly three weeks had passed since Uncle Grey had revealed himself. Although his memory was a bit off in certain aspects, the old man had shed light on some of the mysteries that Nolan had wondered about countless times since discovering the glade.

  Apparently the simple courtyard and the stocky, dark cabin at its centre had been constructed by Uncle Grey shortly after he’d gained possession of the Millennial Ring, as he’d come to call it. It turned out that the reason Nolan hadn’t been able to enter the cabin despite his many attempts was due to a defensive arrayment that the old ghost had cast just before his death, though his eccentric teacher refused to tell him why he’d done such a thing.

  As for the miraculous fountain that seemed to have come straight out of a fairy tale, it was something that Uncle Grey had brought along with him from Venara to aid with his training.

  Nolan was currently basking in the energizing waters, having just finished a ten-hour session of cultivation. “Hey, I was just thinking,” he said, looking up at his teacher. The old man was hovering leisurely above the fountain as if atop an invisible, floating couch. “You said that this ‘Divine Spirit Fountain’ was the most precious treasure of your sect. Isn’t it kind of selfish to bring it here all for yourself?”

  “When did I say that?”

  “Man, you’ve said it like thirty times. Every time we take a dip, you go on and on about how amazing this fountain is.”

  The old man raised his eyebrows, appearing ignorant and innocent. “I don’t recall…”

  Nyla laughed from where she sat in the fountain, within arm’s reach of Nolan. “Didn’t you say that this fountain was the one thing that you could never forget? That it was the ultimate treasure for arrayment practitioners, that it was a gift left behind by the gods?”

  Contrary to Nolan’s anticipations, it didn’t take Nyla long to accept the fact that an old ghost was also inhabiting the glade. Surprisingly, she found Uncle Grey quite amusing.