(Cyrus POV)

"What are you talking about, Ezra? How could these cosmic batteries ever be bombs?" Adam pleaded to my father. I could tell my father was slightly annoyed by Adam's response.

"You and I both know that cosmic energy is erratic by nature. Its volatile nature doesn't bode well when confined. That's why we have to absorb and refine it in our cores so we can control it to a degree. If we must refine it to use it safely, do you really think it's wise to use in its purest form for technology?" my father lectured.

"Ezra, I hear your concerns, and as your longtime friend, I respect you greatly. But you haven't been living here for the past decade. You were born into a prominent family with all the resources you could ever want or need. I wasn't so lucky. All the money we made during those missions was sent back to this place. You know Valador was set back several decades because of the wars in this region. These cubes allow us to mine more effectively. We can stay in the caves longer without needing to refill our machines. This is Valador's main source of income, Ezra," Adam explained.

"So you haven't noticed any malfunctions or witnessed any accidents with the cosmic cubes?" my father asked.

"Not one bit. The only thing we have to worry about is the astral behemoths creating rifts because they can sense the strong energy signature." Adam's reply didn't seem sincere at all to me. The shakiness in his voice screamed that he was hiding something. I think my father noticed as well but continued without letting it be known. "That's why we hire hunters to aid in the delivery and transport of the cosmic batteries."

I glanced back at my father and could see he was deep in thought. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Adam. Maybe whoever stole my design improved it somehow while I was hiding." Adam seemed pleased to hear those words from my father, and I could see tension leave his body.

"Ezra, that's not the only thing. With these cubes, we've been able to fashion our equipment to mine celestium." My father's eyes widened as Adam finished explaining.

"Adam… Does that mean you have an astral gate nearby?"

"We sure do. I can take you to it later, if you want."

"Can we go now? It's been years since I've been to the astral realm."

Seeing my father's excitement, Adam couldn't help but give in. "You never change, do you, Ezra? To this day, your energy is infectious. Come, I'll take you."

We left Adam's office and headed to the astral gate, which was located on the western side of the settlement, concealed by the dense forest. Several trucks and excavators sat lifeless outside the gate.

"Would you like to do the honors, Ezra?" Adam asked, gesturing toward the button to activate the gate. My father didn't hesitate and pressed it. A small white speck appeared inside the gate and, within seconds, expanded quietly, like a miniature big bang.

This was the first time I had seen an astral gate up close. The spiraling void in front of me looked like a kaleidoscope of galaxies.

I glanced at my father, who had the biggest smile on his face—something I hadn't seen often during our time on the run. "It's beautiful, isn't it, Cyrus?" he said, still gazing at the gate.

"I mean, yes, it is. But what exactly is it, and why are you so excited to see it?"

"Cyrus, there's more than one way to enter the astral realm. The way you know is the original, ancient method. It takes much longer to master but requires little cosmic energy to maintain your astral form once you cross over. The downside is that you're left defenseless. With an astral gate, you can cross with your physical body. This consumes cosmic energy at three times the rate, and astral gates can only be found in large metropolitan cities."

"Wait, really? That's cool. So does that mean we can enter the astral realm together now?" I asked.

"I honestly thought you were joking earlier about not going into the astral realm for several years," Adam said.

"I was completely serious. Cyrus was too young and not advanced enough to watch over my body in areas with astral rifts. He only recently connected to his fate constellation."

"That makes sense. I get it now… Wait, Cyrus, you're already a Starbound? How old are you?" Adam asked me.

"Thirteen. Why?"

"Ezra, you got him to connect to the Solaris constellation this early?" I noticed my father shoot me a quick glance, silently asking me to go along with it. He wanted to keep my real fate constellation a secret.

"Yeah, it surprised me too," my father said, laughing. "He beat my record as the youngest in the clan."

"Your clan really is filled with prodigies. No wonder you were all so powerful. But are you ready to cross?" Adam asked. My father nodded and walked toward the gate. Before stepping through, he turned to me.

"Cyrus, be prepared. The astral realm is going to look a lot different compared to the last time you were there during your trial," he said before stepping through.

"What do you mean it's going to look different?" I asked, but my words fell on deaf ears. He was already on the other side. I looked to Adam for some kind of answer, but he offered none.

"Some things can't be explained, Cyrus. This is something you'll have to experience for yourself… Now go on."

Sighing at Adam's vague response, I steeled my mind and stepped through the astral gate.