Inertia: Beneath The Starlit Veil Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Read chapter 15 of Inertia: Beneath The Starlit Veil by Ken Kaizen on NovelPedia.

Chapter 15 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 tha