Disciple Squad

What a bunch of colorful characters, Lucas thought. A Dark Elf, a Slimoid and a Mantin walk into a room. Sounds like the set up for a bad interspecial joke. 

Kaelon walked around the couches and extended a hand to Lucas. "And who are you friend?"

"Lucas Kromwell" he said while grabbing Kaelon's insect hand. It was hard and cold. Much like an insects exoskeleton. "I'm a new Disciple under General Clofos. My Master had sent me here to learn, yet I have zero knowledge of the outside universe."

A few bubbles started to form in Xylon's body and were pushed out. When they reached an inch or two outside of his body they popped. "You. Too?" one word for each bubble that popped. 

Lucas frilled his eyebrows, "Yeah. Is that a common thing?"

"You'd. Be. Surprised" another 3 bubbles popped. "Come. Have. A. Seat. The. Food. Is. Good."

"Thank you. I will." Lucas took a seat opposite to Xylon and Zyra. On the table was alien dishes. There was a chicken like creature fully cooked, but had scales along the spine. Another looked like a pig, but had the head of some type of insect. He even saw something moving in one of the soup dishes. "What exactly is all this?"

"Ah you must have really been in the boonies to not have this" Kaelon spoke as he sat down next to Lucas. "These are some basic dishes across the universe I've been working on. We have Quim" he pointed to the pig insect meal. "Then there is the Jurk and Jirk soups" he pointed to a soup with something swimming around and another that had a tentacle hanging off the side. "And over here is my personal favorite" he reached over for a bowl filled with eyeballs. "These are boiled MilliumBeast eye's. I've boiled them in the stomach acid of the Xeomorph Gestartor. They are delectable!" He popped one in his mouth. A wet popping sound followed after. 

Lucas's stomach turned seeing this. Everything on the table looked gross, but he didn't want to be rude to these people he's just met. Plus Kaelon held the bowl of eyes so close to Lucas he didn't have a choice. He grabbed one and threw it in his mouth. It was the size of a large cherry. It was warm and squishy. Lucas tried not to spit it out and bit down. The eye popped and juices filled his mouth. He wanted to throw it up, but flavor stopped him!

He definitely hated he texture, but the taste? The taste was simply out of this world! It was like a liquid BBQ brisket in his mouth. Lucas swallowed it and smiled "that's amazing!" He grabbed another and ate it. The texture still bothered him, but he couldn't resist the taste. 

Kaelon's mandibles stretched to either side as though he was smiling. "I'm glad to hear it! I spent months cooking it! Eat as much as you want!"

"Thanks! I will!"

All 4 Disciples continued to eat for the next half hour. Lucas was the first to stop eating. He had gorged himself on the delicious food Kaelon had made for everyone. "Kaelon. That was amazing! Where did you learn to cook so well!"

Kaelon chuckled, more like his mandibles clattered together as air was forced out of his chest. It was an odd laugh thag almost sounded like a villain laughing at a plan going right. Lucas mentally wrote that down for Kur.

"Oh it's slightly complicated" he said with pride. "My Cultivation path is the: Galactic Chef. I can gain traits of things I eat, for a small amount of time. And the food I make actually gives bonuses to others. Using ingredients that are known for health or sleep or fighting against poisons, grants those traits to the consumer for 8 hours. Although as my realm increases so will my bonuses. My master for example is an Earth Immortal realm cultivator and the food they make grants bonuses for 2 years! He's highly sought after by treasure hunters and high ranking officials in the universe."

Lucas admired Kaelons cutlivstion path. It was really unique and seemed to be a good all-rounder type of cultivation path. "I'm sorry if I sound rude, but is this cultivation path rare? From what I've heard about becoming a Disciple in the CIA one's cultivation path has to be strong or unique."

Kaelon nodded his head adamantly. "Of course it is! To be a Universal Chef means you know the entire universe! Knowing how to grow rare crops, how to raise dangerous creatures and even knowing how every poison tastes. Mainly because there are some poisons, that when mixed with certain foods, make them into incredible spices! This cultivation path is rare because many that try to under take it, die!"

" Wether they are killed studying the habits of an alien creature. Or not properly cooking a poison down and killing themself. Hell I've seen a fellow student grow a Klamius Fruit next to a Mander Root! Can you believe the stupidity?!"

"Ha ha, yeah that is stupid" Lucas said with zero confidence of what a Mander Root and Klamius fruit was. "But now that you explain it, that does make more sense. I can understand why you became a Disciple."

"Oh then you should hear about these two. Their paths are so rare they were literally born to use them."

"Kaelon. Would. You. Example?" Xylon asked. Given his physiology he talked slow and communicated a second later than others would. He liked having someone around that was more friendly and who knew him.

"Can do friend" Kaelon said. He had been friends with Xylon for quiet a few years. Both their Masters were friends and it became a tradition of Masters forcing their apprentices to befriend one another. It also helped certain cultivation committees stay strong in hard times.

"Well Xylon is a Liquid Master path Cultivator. He can secrete a variety of different type of liquids from his body. He can make different types of toxins and poisons and then anti-toxins and antidotes for them. Not only that he can create shield of water, a healing water and other techniques using water. This is thanks to his species physiology, but his Path is rare since only handful of Slimoid's can create new liquids in there body."

"That's. Right. I'm. Muliti. Skilled" bubbles popped over Xylon spoke. His voice was monotone, but the way he sat with his chest forward Lucas could tell he was proud of himself. And why wouldn't he be? He seemed like another all-rounder type that requires high skill. 

Wait. Lucas paused. Is that how one becomes a Disciple? Do they need to follow a cultivation path that can do a little of everything. Wonder what Zyra can do?

"That's also a great cultivator path! What about you Zyra?" Lucas asked innocently. 

Zyra put her utensils down and stopped eating. "That curious?" She spoke without a hint of emotion in her voice. "I guess since we are going to be on a squad together its better you know." She sat straight and looked at Lucas. 

"First things first. I'm a Dark Elf and our race has an affinity for Darkness and Dark type magics. So naturally we follow a handful of paths our race has mastered, The Dark Knight, the Shadow Monk, Abyssal Sorcerer, etcetera. Before I was born my parents were going to train me as a Dark Knight. I would use Dark magic to cloak myself in armor, create weapon and fuel myself."

"But that didn't happen?"

"Nope" Zyra shook her head. "I was actually born with a special gift of Psionics. A type of mental energy. A rare gift said only one in a billion have a chance of awakening. So I became a Dark Psionic Knight. Once I made it to the Core Formation realm my parent decided I need to get out of the metaphoric house and see the universe. So here I am."

Zyra sounded sad. Like she missed her family because she was forced to leave. Lucas thought he should spill his path as well since everyone else has. Since he'll be here for 6 months he might as well make some friends.

"Since we are all sharing I guess I'll spill my path. I'm following the Runemaster Path. I can do a couple things thanks to my gauntlet." He raised it finally showing it off. As soon as he did the visor shot out from the shoulder and formed itself over his eye. "This weapon allows me to utilize my Runes and a variety of ways."

Everyone was stunned into silence. They looked at Lucas as though they were seeing a creature from their childhood bed time story come to life. "Are. You. Serious?" Xylon questioned, still with no emotion, but his body language showed he was surprised as well.

"Well...yeah? My master taught the basics to me, but I'm not as talented as him. Why? What's the big deal?"

"You can't be serious Lucas" Kaelon spoke in an exacerbated tone. "Do you not know how rare Runemaster's are?! Many galactic and universal civilizations have outlawed that path. It's deemed too powerful and dangerous for the common person."

"He's right! Even my people outlawed the cultivation path" Zyra added. "We had to many people using it for ill intent. How did your Master learn it?"

'Great.' Lucas thought to himself. 'My master is myself and Kur is a villain. I don't like falling into a puzzle piece like this.'

"I can't say where my Master learned of such a cultivation path, but I do know he prefers to stay out of the conflicts of the universe. Although he told me I was living to much in his shadow and away from the universe, that it was finally time I get out and explore for some time."

Before anyone else could say something or ask a question an alarm chimed once. It was then quickly followed by 4 holograms of different between standing before each Disciple. Agent Astronova stood before Kaelon. Before Xylon was a female Danirum with long black hair and red eyes, she was General Xandria. Before Lucas was General Clofos. And lastly before Zyra was a male Danirum with sleek salt and pepper hair with dark green eyes. This was General Quilax, the one leading the operation on the planet.

"Good evening Disciples." General Quilax spoke expressionlessly. "Now that there are four of you we have decided to give you a week's training in Sub-Space training room. You are to pack the essentials and all equipment you will need to survive in a wild environment for the allotted time. You are to report to the training room by 0400 hours. I suggest you plan thoroughly."