Inertia: Beneath the Starlit Veil

(Ezra POV)

The following day, the first thing Cyrus and I did was head straight for the southern region where the rift was located. We walked in silence. I could tell he wanted to take this training seriously. As we got closer to the area, we both sensed a shift in the atmosphere around us. The concentration of cosmic energy in the air was noticeably higher.

"We're here, aren't we?" Cyrus said, surveying his hunting grounds.

"You can feel it too?"

"Ever since I got this new core, I've been more sensitive to cosmic energy and its fluctuations. But it doesn't seem like there are any astral behemoths in the area at all. Don't tell me they're all gone."

"Trust me, they're not. When you sense the flow of cosmic energy, focus on the irregularities in the atmosphere. Astral behemoths can't control cosmic energy as precisely as Starbound can. Their flow is erratic, and the stronger the astral behemoth, the more chaotic the energy feels. As you progress, you'll rely less on your normal senses and more on this awareness."

"Oh, so that's what I was feeling. I thought it was just because the rift was nearby… but we're actually surrounded, huh?" Cyrus replied.

"Exactly. They're just waiting for the perfect time to strike. I highly recommend you avoid going deeper into the brush. Aurora moths are territorial and seem to be guarding the rift entrance. Be careful," I said as I leapt into a tree behind him. "Also, if you haven't noticed yet, they have a cloaking ability that refracts light, allowing them to blend with their surroundings."

Cyrus turned toward me with an irritated expression. "So you're really not going to help at all?"

"When did I ever say I would? I'm just here to make sure you don't do anything reckless and get yourself killed."

"Reckless. Yeah, okay. Whatever," he said, dismissing my comment as he walked further into the brush. "These Aurora moths don't seem that strong anyway."

With my infrared vision active, I could see the swarm of moths, each about a meter long with two-meter wingspans, flying closer to him. There were ten in total. I noticed Cyrus start to emit his cosmic energy, turning himself into a beacon for any being sensitive to it. This provoked the moths causing them to become irate, stripping them of their stealth advantage.

The forest came alive with the loud buzzing and the flapping of their wings. Cyrus rotated slightly so I could see his sly smile. He pointed to his ear, signaling that he already had a plan.

"Cocky much? Let's see how you pull this off," I muttered to myself.

I sat back and watched as the moths barreled toward him from all directions. Cyrus appeared unfazed. He closed his eyes and waited until the last possible second to act. Just as they were about to strike, a magenta glow emanated from his chest. Every single one of the moths crashed to the ground around him, disoriented by the sudden shift in gravity. Their cloaking abilities vanished, revealing their forms to the naked eye.

My son didn't hesitate. Within seconds, he plunged his fists through each exoskeleton, splattering bodily fluids in every direction. The expression of his face was cold and ruthless. Something I started to see more often in his demeanor over the years. Something I wish I could change. When the slaughter was over, he dropped to his knees and began opening the carcasses of the astral behemoths, searching for their cores.

I jumped down from the tree and approached him.

"What did you think of that, Dad? Efficient, right?" Cyrus asked as he pulled out the fifth core.

"It was reckless. You're lucky these moths were only first-stage, but good job."

"I took your advice about using my other senses."

"Yeah, I noticed, you little show-off," I said, watching him dig out the seventh core. "But let's come up with a strategy that doesn't use you as bait—"

Before I could finish, an arrow flew through the air, striking the last moth Cyrus was working on.

"I suggest you drop those cores and leave them right there, little boy," a towering man said as he stepped out of the brush with a man and a woman. "We were paid to handle any astral behemoths from this rift and were promised exclusive access to the cores and relics."

I saw anger flare in Cyrus's eyes as he clenched his fists, preparing to attack.

"Cyrus, don't!" I yelled. Sensing their cores, I added, "One of them is at the second stage. Do not engage!" I sprinted to his side.

"I know," Cyrus gritted out. "These are the same people who helped the town when the beetles attacked. But they're scum—they abandoned everyone when things got hard."

"Oh, now that I think about it, you do look familiar, kid. Surprised you survived. You must've taken our advice and ran, huh?"

"No. We finished the job, in case you were wondering," I said, stepping beside Cyrus.

"And who are you?" the hulking man asked.

"I'm his father. If you shoot another arrow at my son, cores will be the least of your concerns. You seem capable—why not find other astral behemoths instead of poaching cores from a child?"

"Big talk from a man with a core lower than mine," the man retorted.

Cyrus glanced at me, concerned. I was concealing my cosmic energy at the embryonic stage level to avoid interfering with his hunt. I gave him a reassuring nod and continued.

"This is your last warning. Leave now, and I'll forgive you for endangering my son."

"You're outnumbered and outclassed. This is my turf," the man said.

"Boss, I think that might be the guy who fought the beetles in the air, " his companion murmured.

"If that's the case, I'll end this quickly, so we can hurry and claim our prize" the large man said, his arm glowing with a dark red light. Runes etched on his tattoo began to manifest, and a familiar sight appeared. A portal formed near his hand. From it, he drew a massive black shield lined with jagged blades and slammed it into the ground, shaking the entire forest.