Inertia: Beneath The Starlit Veil Chapter 58: Chapter 58

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Chapter 58 (Ezra POV) With Kael's attack wiped away, there was nothing left to stand between us. Watching him claw himself out of the fissure he created, I noticed that his breathing was labored, and his body could barely stand. He had expended all of his cosmic energy. There was nothing left in the tank for him, even if his will still commanded him to move forward. I softly hovered down to the ground to meet him at his level. "Give up, Kael. The battle is finished," I commanded firmly. The man didn't respond. Instead, he charged at me. Devoid of cosmic energy, his speed was sluggish—something you would expect from a man of his size. The punch he threw was easy to perceive, and I caught it effortlessly in my palm. Quickly, I twisted his arm, causing him to wail in pain as I brought him to his knees. Placing a finger on his abdomen, I released a small beam of solar energy, piercing through his armor and flesh. "Where is my brother, Kael? Is he alive?" "You know, the last time I saw him, he was alive. He's somewhere in Arthenos. He's a strong man, I'll give you that—someone worthy of the Solaris name. If you ever come across a man named Lord Enzo, he may have the answers you seek," Kael responded, taking a deep, heaving breath in an attempt to steady himself. "Thank you, Kael," I said, looking down at my defeated opponent. I could tell he was suffering from cosmic energy backlash and needed to be removed from the astral realm immediately. I placed Dawnbringer back into my astral forge, then bent down to pick Kael up and hoist him over my shoulder. "What are you doing? Leave me here to die." "No. You were honorable warrior to the very end, and I intend to keep my word. I told you I would let you live—you will not die by my hands today." Levitating into the air, I spotted the portal to the astral gate. Without wasting time, I funneled solar energy into my feet and took off at immense speed, flying toward the exit. When we reached the portal, I set Kael down, allowing him to walk through first. On the other side, the first face I saw was my son's. He seemed relatively unscathed—aside from one of his sleeves being ripped off. Looking at him, I could tell he was deep in thought, his expression cold and distant. He didn't even acknowledge my presence. I walked over and placed both hands on his shoulders, shaking him slightly to pull him from whatever had consumed his mind. "My son, are you alright?" I asked. He looked up at me, and I saw a single tear slip down his cheek. "Why does everyone hate us? Why is it that, at every chance they get, they won't hesitate to try and tear us down? Why is that, Dad? Will we ever get rest or reprieve in this world? Or will this be our fate forever?" Hearing his words brought back memories of my own childhood—when I, too, struggled to understand the cruel nature of the universe. "Sadly, son, it's just a facet of human nature. People understand power. They see it as a means to get ahead in life, and they recognize the lack of power as a shackle. So what do they do?" "They seek to break their shackles." "Correct." "But don't they know that the Solaris Clan is here to bring peace and help those in need? We've never abused our power." "They do know. But their very nature blinds them, allowing fear to take hold. That's why we have to be patient with them, Cyrus. Where is Adam, by the way?" I asked, wrapping an arm around my son while gesturing for the townspeople to take Kael to a medic. Cyrus didn't answer. Instead, I noticed his posture sink in response to my question. "Cyrus… where is he? I sense his presence close by, but I don't see him. We need to have one final conversation before we leave." As I spoke, I noticed he was clutching something under his arm. At that moment, my question was answered. I didn't say anything. I simply squeezed his shoulder as we walked away from the astral gate. As we entered the city center, I did my best to ignore the murmurs of "murderer" from the crowd—until I realized