Inertia: Beneath The Starlit Veil Chapter 60: Chapter 60

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Chapter 60 Cyrus' POV Before gathering all of our remaining belongings from the campsite I had made, I decided to use the cosmic battery I still had lying around to replenish the cosmic energy I lost fighting Adam. I wanted to expand my core before we left, and I wanted to use Adam's core because it was already refined and easier to absorb. The last time I tried absorbing energy from the battery, I could only do it in small amounts. I didn't know if it was because it was too much for me to control at the time or if my will wasn't strong enough to make the raw and unrefined energy obey me. This time was different. The energy didn't feel as difficult to control as I siphoned it from the battery. I felt it quickly become subjugated to my core's will as it broke it down, refining it to fill my reserves. It wasn't long before I had drained all of the energy from the battery, my core now full once again. "I did it. Oh, I can't wait to rub this in Dox's face—or whatever he has. Low percentage my ass." I chuckled to myself as I grabbed Adam's core, preparing to expand my core once more. "So this is why you're taking so long gathering our things," my father's voice said as he appeared from the bushes. "Yeah, I felt this was the best time before we ended up doing God knows what." My father didn't say anything right away as he analyzed the surroundings. I followed his gaze until it landed on the empty container of the cosmic battery. "This is how you did it… how you grew your core to the size it is now. And the reason you were in the Astral Realm that day in the first place." My father's eyes slowly turned back to me. "Yes and no," I replied, tilting my head in response to his assumption. "I originally went into the Astral Realm in search of you and Adam, hoping to use one of these to accelerate my growth. I even tried in the cave. But the drain from my fused form was too much compared to what I could absorb at the time, so I stopped and left. That's when I happened to witness what occurred between Adam and the miners." "I see." "But I didn't grow my core with batteries. I couldn't control it at the time, so I destroyed the entire nest of Aurora Moths and their queen. It nearly killed me, but I did it. I had no other choice. At that point, I knew I couldn't defeat Adam yet, and I needed a way to free you. So, to kill two birds with one stone, I entered the rift. But when I got there, the things I faced didn't necessarily give me the spoils I desired—at least not until the very end when I found this relic." "I understand now. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. It's just that those batteries have caused nothing but trouble since I created them. And honestly, I was scared of the fact that you used them because of the side effects the miners experienced. I didn't want you shortening your lifespan. You're the only thing I have left, Cy." "I know. But I just used it to refill my core before I absorbed Adam's. During the time I was alone I found out I needed my core to be full before I tried expanding it, to get the most out of this pursuit. And besides, there doesn't seem to be any side effects from absorbing it. In all honesty, Dox's calculations might have been off." "Dox? Oh, right, I remember now," my father responded. "And about Adam's core… I don't know if you should do it. Let's find you something else to help expand your core instead." "Why? I earned this. I deserve the right to use it after everything I just did." "Absorbing cosmic energy from a humans core is a lot different than absorbing it from Astral Behemoths. You don't just get their cosmic energy—you get an influx of their emotions, intentions, and, in some cases, parts of their memories. The mental toll it puts on one's mind can be devastating, even to some Starbound who are equipped to handle it. Are you sure you want to do this?" "Yes, I'm sure. Nothing will be harder mentally than what I experienced in that damn rift," I said, gripping Adam's core firmly in my hands. "I do