Inertia: Beneath The Starlit Veil Chapter 80: Chapter 80

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Chapter 80 (Arya's POV) Ezra and I made short work of reaching the energy sources we sensed near the seal of Malakar. But as we approached, I noticed something familiar—a faint, sweet smell in the air. A smell that could only mean one thing: an airborne poison produced by a specific man-eating astral plant that grew in the outskirts of the grove. It's a poison that attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis and hallucinations that leads to death. The closer we got, the more potent it became. I was trained to produce the antidote, so I wasn't too worried for myself—but many others wouldn't have that luxury. There was a good chance the entire militia had been exposed without ever realizing it. "Ezra!" I shouted, the wind whipping harshly across my face as he picked up speed. "What's up, Arya? I think we're almost there." "Slow down! If you get any closer, you might succumb to the poison!" I pointed down toward the colorless haze spreading across the treetops, slowly sinking toward the surface, that I could feel through my special connection to the grove. Ezra halted in mid-air and placed me gently atop one of the towering world trees that dotted this region of the astral realm. I quickly explained the situation, warning him to stay above the haze. While faint now, the poison's density could increase with the shift in wind or cosmic pressure. "But how are you going to be fine down there? I don't need you sacrificing yourself to atone for the past," Ezra said, crossing his arms. "I've been microdosing this poison since I was a child. My mother made sure of it. It was part of my training." "Damn, your mother really was cruel." "Like your family wasn't?" I replied with a chuckle, watching as Ezra's eyes shifted from their deep brown hue to the brilliant color of the sun. "What do you see?" "I see a large group of heat signatures to the left. Their cosmic energy is in distress—most likely poisoned members of our militia. I also see several heat signatures from bodies lying on the ground whose temperatures are dropping fast. Most likely dead combatants. Further east, I see nine signatures. One is losing heat fast—probably dying. Seven others are circling a single remaining combatant." Ezra informed me as his face started to crinkle in response to the words coming out of his mouth. "What is it, Ezra? Do you recognize the signature?" "Yes. It's Cyrus. He's losing cosmic energy at an accelerated rate. Hurry—please. One of them is a stage higher than him." "I got it. Just stay up here, please. We can't risk you getting poisoned." I commanded one of the tree branches to launch me through the forest. Hurtling hundreds of meters in seconds I arrived on the surface of the astral rainforest. As I approached the scene, I saw what Ezra had seen with his infrared vision—but the reality was more gruesome than what he described. Discolored bodies lay limp and scattered across the forest path, their nervous systems clearly compromised. Blood stained the mossy ground, and eerie silence choked the air. I wanted to help the fallen members of our task force to the west, but I knew I was already too late. They were already at the point where I wasn't able to do any good for them especially since I didn't come prepared with an antidote. I made the call to head east, sprinting toward the remaining base of the Hollow Branch and the fight Ezra had described. I expected to see a helpless boy being overwhelmed. Instead, I found a young warrior still standing. Cyrus was battered and broken. A hole gaped through his thigh, and several fingers were missing from his off-hand. His chest heaved with labored breath. Yet despite the damage, he stood firm—defiant. Around him lay four bodies, cleanly severed in half. Several arms scattered the ground, bearing his skin tone. I didn't know whether to feel slightly scared or sad for the child. "Lady Arya, is that you?" he asked without turning his head. "Yes, it's me Cyrus. You can fall back now—I'll handle the rest, al