First test

The golem looked at Evan seriously before gesturing to the ever-changing, colorful barrier behind him. "Your first test begins with this barrier. Consider it a soul test designed to measure your comprehension ability and innate potential as a soul entity."

As he spoke, the barrier seemed to ripple and pulsate, as if listening to the conversation. Then it released a beam of light that touched Evan's soul form. He felt an indescribable sensation, as if the very fabric of his being was being assessed, understood, and judged.

"This should only take a few seconds," the golem said. But seconds turned into minutes, and the golem looked more intrigued as time passed. "Interesting. Very interesting indeed. Normally, this doesn't take so long."

Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was really about ten minutes, the light retracted back into the barrier. A rush of information flooded into Evan's mind, forming complex patterns and realizations he had never considered.

"You have been judged to possess an 'Eclipsing Soul,' the highest grade of soul potential," the golem announced, his light orbs gleaming with what could be interpreted as excitement. "This is exceedingly rare, even among seasoned cultivators. However, the tests you face will be proportionally challenging. Your test for the 'Eclipsing Soul' involves mastering the basics of a movement technique that incorporates the use of your wings. You have two days."

The weight of the challenge settled on Evan. To learn a new technique, particularly one that involved his recently acquired wings, was a monumental task. Yet, he couldn't help but feel thrilled by the opportunity to tap into a greater potential he didn't even know he had.

He took a deep, soulful breath, his newly anointed 'Eclipsing Soul' buzzing with readiness. "Alright, how do we start?"

The golem's form shimmered, almost as if it were smiling. "You start by stepping through the barrier. It will now allow you to pass. Once you do, you will find the sacred grounds where you can begin your training."

The anticipation built up in Evan's core. He was on the brink of something life-changing, and as intimidating as it was, he couldn't wait to begin.

Evan stepped into a new, expansive chamber within the cave. The environment immediately felt different. The air was dense with turbulent currents of soul energy that whipped around him like invisible storms. Ahead, another barrier materialized, more imposing than the first. Its surface churned with colors that seemed darker and more intense, as if filled with pent-up fury and expectation.His eyes then shifted to his immediate surroundings. He noticed peculiar indentations on the ground—markings of some sort that seemed to be part of a pattern. Beside these markings, a wall of the cave bore several small, hollow spaces. The holes were smoothly carved, as though they were intended for something specific.Intrigued, Evan walked over to one of the wall indentations. On closer inspection, each hole had its own set of markings around it, almost like a coded language or perhaps ritualistic symbols. His instincts told him that these were related to the EtherealGlide technique he was supposed to master.He considered the strong winds in this chamber. They were erratic, but they also followed a pattern, much like the markings on the ground and around the holes in the walls. Could the wind currents be manipulated by channeling soul energy into these holes? Was that part of the test?

Evan was lost in his thoughts, contemplating the patterns on the ground and the holes in the wall, when suddenly an illusionary figure materialized in front of him. It looked strikingly similar to Evan—same physique, same wings. For a moment, he felt as though he was looking into a magical mirror, except the reflection had a life of its own.Before he could make sense of what he was seeing, the figure began to move. Its motions defied logical explanation—fluid yet abrupt, a blend of leaps and wing-assisted glides, all synchronized in an intricate dance. The figure maneuvered through the strong winds in the chamber with astonishing ease, as if having an innate mastery over the forces of this mysterious realm.

The figure appeared to be executing some kind of complex, martial dance. At one moment, it crouched low to the ground, almost melding with the earth below it, its wings flaring outwards to catch an ethereal breeze. Then, with a powerful, unworldly thrust from its wings, it shot forward at an impossible angle, as though the laws of physics had momentarily ceased to apply.

Next, the figure's wings seemed to flutter independently, creating a vortex of wind around it. It began to spin, but unlike any pirouette Evan had ever seen; the rotation was accompanied by rapid oscillations, forming a whirlwind of movement that appeared almost as a blur. The figure was like a living whirlpool, a human-shaped cyclone that pulled in the surrounding energies.

But it didn't stop there. The figure's wings then folded back tightly as it darted up vertically into the air, cutting through the atmospheric pressure with an ease that belied the power of the forces it defied. It then executed a series of breathtaking flips and acrobatic feats in mid-air, each motion flowing seamlessly into the next, like flowing water navigating a series of complex, rocky outcrops.

Upon reaching the pinnacle of its ascent, the figure stretched its wings out to their full extent. It hovered momentarily, as if suspended in time and space, before plummeting downward in a controlled freefall. Yet, even as it descended, it maintained an absolute mastery over its trajectory, adjusting the angles of its wings minutely to control speed and direction.

Just before touching down, the figure extended its wings fully again, capturing the air beneath them to slow its descent, making a landing that was as soft as a whisper. It seemed to be completely in tune with the elemental forces around it—earth, air, fire, water—all contributing to the power of this awe-inspiring dance. And then, it stopped. Its eyes locked onto Evan's, and a ray of light shot from the figure into Evan, overwhelming him with a rush of insights and revelations.

As the ray of light dissipated, Evan felt a rush of understanding flood into his mind. It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a hidden world of knowledge that had always been there but just out of reach. EtherealGlide, the name echoed in his consciousness like a chant from an ancient ritual.

This technique was born from a time when soul cultivators roamed realms beyond mortal comprehension. It was said to have originated with the mythical Soul Gods, beings whose mastery over both the physical and spiritual dimensions was unparalleled. A technique not just for movement, but an embodiment of their understanding of the laws of the universe. A dance between soul and matter, a symphony of will and natural law.

EtherealGlide was more than a simple movement skill; it was an art form, a profound expression of inner potential and outer reality. It had multiple stages, each one a deeper alignment with the soul's latent capabilities. The higher the stage, the more powerful the abilities unlocked, ranging from unimaginable speed to control over elemental forces, and even limited flight.

In ancient times, it was believed that mastering EtherealGlide could offer insights into the mysteries of existence. Many of the Soul Gods had reportedly reached unfathomable heights in their cultivation paths due in part to their mastery of this unparalleled technique. Some legends even spoke of Soul Gods who could move between dimensions, existing in multiple places at once, all thanks to EtherealGlide.

It had once been a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few throughout history. Masters of the technique were said to be untouchable in combat, able to evade and counter any attack with ease. They were not just fighters but artists, their every movement a brushstroke on the canvas of reality.

However, like all great things, EtherealGlide had been lost to the annals of time, becoming the stuff of myths and legends. Yet the potency of this technique was such that traces of its teachings had managed to survive, handed down through secret lineages and concealed within enigmatic texts.

The technique was divided into five stages, each one exponentially more difficult to master than the last. The first stage was all about understanding the relationship between the soul and the body, learning how to move in harmony with one's inner essence. The second stage delved deeper, focusing on manipulating elemental energies to enhance one's movements.

By the time one reached the third stage, they would gain the ability to control the air around them, making their actions almost imperceptible. The fourth stage would enable the practitioner to channel their soul energy into their wings and feet, allowing for movements that defied the laws of physics.

The fifth and final stage, the pinnacle of EtherealGlide, was something even the texts were vague about. It was said that at this stage, the practitioner would not only achieve a form of limited flight but could also manipulate the very fabric of space-time. They could move so fast that they'd appear to be in multiple places at once, an ability that elevated them to a nearly divine status.

This newfound knowledge felt like a treasure trove opened up within his mind. And Evan realized that not only did he understand EtherealGlide, but his soul was also tingling with the urge to try it out, to put theory into practice.