Inertia: Beneath the Starlit Veil

Cyrus POV

The sensation of crossing the astral gate into the astral realm was completely different from the ancient method my father had taught me. With the ancient way, it felt like I was a magnet being pulled toward the source. Crossing over through the gate, however, felt as if I were being atomized and reassembled on the other side. When I finally emerged, the astral realm looked entirely different from when I had taken my starbirth trial.

No longer was it an ever-expanding dark void riddled with a sea of stars and cosmic entities. The astral realm now mimicked elements of the physical world, blending them with celestial aesthetics. I saw plains of starry grass and mountains made of translucent crystal. Instead of the ice-cold water filling rivers, ponds, and lakes, there were streams of shimmering astral light that changed colors depending on the angle from which it was viewed.

Turning to my right, I saw Adam and my father both staring at me.

"I remember my first time seeing the astral realm," Adam said, patting my father on the back. "What about you, Ezra?"

"My father brought both my brother and me into the realm right after we passed our starbirth trials," my father replied. "He took us to the Altar of Solaris and explained what it meant to be a wielder of our clan's fate constellation."

"I bet it was a beautiful and powerful moment," Adam said with a wry smile.

"It was," my father agreed, watching the star showers unfold in the astral realm's sky. "My old man somehow made even the most daunting tasks seem like the best adventures in the world."

"I have a question," I interjected, hoping one of them would answer.

"Go on," my father said with a nod.

"Why does the astral realm look so different now compared to before I connected with my constellation?"

"Well, Cyrus," my father began, "the astral realm only reveals its true form to starbound individuals. The starbirth trial is essentially a test to determine worthiness. In the realm's eyes, connecting with a constellation signifies that worthiness."

My father's explanation started to make sense. I recalled hearing Grandpa Zaire and my uncle talking about the tasks they had completed in the astral realm.

"How about I show you something even cooler that I've been working on here?" Adam said, gesturing for us to follow him as he started walking down the hill.

I glanced at my father, who nodded for me to proceed. Every step in the astral realm felt like walking on clouds, and it seemed as though pressing harder might cause me to sink through. My awkward attempts to adjust elicited a chuckle from my father as he watched me struggle.

By the time we reached the base of the hill, the landscape had shifted from starry plains to a more mountainous region, which was easier to navigate. Light refracting off the translucent crystal structures was almost blinding, forcing me to strain my eyes. Adam walked toward what appeared to be a cave entrance and gestured for us to follow.

Inside the cave, there was a litany of excavating tools, each equipped with specialized fixtures. "This is where we mine celestium," Adam explained, picking up a piece of shimmering metallic ore. It gleamed with veins of glowing starlight etched deep into its structure. "This little section of ore right here helped bring my town out of poverty."

"So this is celestium," I said, inspecting the ore. "But why is it so important that you'd risk the town and everyone in it to mine it?"

"Cyrus, I don't know if your father has told you this, but celestium is one of the most critical resources a starbound needs on their journey of ascension," Adam replied.

"This ore is essential for creating soul weapons and armor in an astral forge."

"What do you mean? What's an astral forge?" I asked, turning to my father.

"I haven't gone over that yet," my father admitted. "I was waiting until you became more proficient with your current abilities." Then he elaborated, "The astral forge, Cyrus, is a feature of your nexus that unlocks after your next trial. It allows you to combine celestium with cores from astral behemoths to forge your soul weapon. These weapons are unique to each starbound, tailored to their fate constellation and abilities unlocked along their stellar pathway."

"So that's why you never gave me a weapon, no matter how much I asked?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes and no," my father said with a smirk. "Yes, because I wanted you to create a weapon that suits your fighting style. Even within our Solaris clan, preferences differ. I excel at close-range combat, while Grandpa Zaire and your uncle are experts in long-range weaponry. And no, because I couldn't find an ordinary weapon strong enough to withstand the force of your cosmic energy-enhanced strength."

"Got it now," I said, grinning. "But you're still cleaning my clothes and getting the beetle juice stains out. That was disgusting."

"And here I thought living in the woods might have knocked some of the bougieness out of you," my father teased, shaking his head.

"I can't help it," I shot back. "I was raised in luxury. I have a taste for the finer things in life."

Adam chuckled at our exchange before interjecting. "Since every starbound needs celestium, it sells for a fortune in the markets. But the issue is, celestium only exists in certain regions of the astral realm, most of which are controlled by the twelve great clans of Valonara. I just happened to discover this little cave, and it's been a blessing."

"You've always had the best luck out of all of us, Adam," my father said. "I truly wish I had your gift."

Adam smiled but added with a sigh, "The downside is that we can't go all out with the mining operation. Too few people here can cross the astral gate because of the rift. And if word gets out about this cave, it'll be taken over by one of the clans with greater resources."

Then he turned to my father. "How about we strike a deal? You and Cyrus can stay here for a while, get your bearings, and help us close the rift. In return, I'll throw in some celestium for your troubles. What do you think?"

I looked at my father, hoping he could read my thoughts. I wanted to keep moving west, but something told me he had other plans.

"I think we can spare some time to help an old friend," my father said. "Besides, Cyrus could use some much-needed rest—and an actual bed to sleep on for the first time in years."