(Cyrus Pov)

As I sit on the edge of this cliff, staring down at the people walking around in the city center, I'm reminded of why I never liked people growing up. I especially despise the ones who walk around this continent like everything is fine—the ones who act as though they had no part in the demise of my clan. It infuriates me to watch them live the life I want from the mountains' outskirts. I don't trust them. I hate them. I don't understand why my father still insists on having faith in these people. He says that, in time, the wrongs will be righted and they'll realize their mistakes. How can he be so calm about it all?

We've been living in hiding for years, hunted by the same people who destroyed our clan—the ones who killed my mother. My father doesn't want revenge, but I do. Today, that begins to change. Today is the day I awaken my power. Today is the day I begin to right their wrongs.

"Cyrus, it's time," my father's call snaps me out of my thoughts. I rise from the edge of the cliff, turning my back on the city as I prepare for what's to come.

"Is the perimeter secure?" my father asks, shrugging off his coat to reveal his brown skin under a tank top.

"Yes, just like it always is," I reply.

"Good. It's time to begin. We only have a finite window; otherwise, we'll have to wait several years to try again. I need you to steel your mind and focus, Cyrus."

I nod and take my seat in the camp. Today is a solar eclipse. For most, it's just a celestial event, but for my clan, it's sacred. This is the only time we can undertake the Starbirth Trial—a trial that allows us to enter the astral realm and connect with our destined Fate Constellation.

"I'm proud of you, son," my father says, placing one large hand gently on my shoulder. "You've developed your celestial core faster than most. In fact, you developed it several years earlier than I did. But this next part of your journey, I can't help you with. It's something you must face alone. Are you ready to awaken the Solaris Fate Constellation?"

"I'm ready," I say firmly.

"You may begin."

As my father speaks, his dark brown eyes glow a yellow-orange hue, and his left hand radiates with energy from his celestial tattoo—his mark of the Solaris Fate Constellation. He casts a barrier around me, ensuring I won't be disturbed as I begin the trial.

With the barrier in place, I can't help but feel the weight of expectation. It isn't the pressure of my father's energy—it's the burden of being the last heir of the Solaris Clan. The last to inherit the power of the strongest Fate Constellation. The last to uphold the clan's sacred duty to maintain the world's peace, order, and balance, a duty bestowed by the ancient Celestial Pantheon.

I push those thoughts aside and begin my breathing exercises. Closing my eyes, I slow my breath, matching the ebb and flow of an ocean's tide. The deeper I breathe, the more alive my celestial core feels. The rush of cosmic energy brimming in my core is euphoric—one of the few joys I've experienced in these years of hiding. It's also why my core has developed faster than expected.

With my core now filled, I expand my consciousness, searching for the astral rift where the barrier between the physical and astral realms is thin. Suddenly, I understand why my father prefers the mountains—the rift is easier to sense here. It feels both ominous and inviting, calling me to it.

I don't resist the pull. Following my father's teachings, I let the rift absorb me. The transition is gentle at first, but then I feel a jolt, like being yanked forward by an invisible force. Stars and faint streams of light flash around me, like a scene from a sci-fi movie when a spaceship enters hyperdrive.

Before I know it, I'm tumbling out of a wormhole, disoriented. When my vision clears, I'm awestruck. The stories I was told about the astral realm don't compare to its grandeur. An endless ocean of stars and cosmic bodies stretches out before me. Stars of every color, shape, and size illuminate the vast darkness.

"I made it... I finally made it," I whisper, overwhelmed by the astral realm's beauty.

I want to stay forever, but time is limited. My father's teachings echo in my mind. "This trial is all about resonance," I remind myself, stepping carefully across the cosmic floor. "I need to find the cluster of stars emitting the same frequency as my core."

Easier said than done. Millions, maybe billions, of stars surround me. Deciding to use the same technique I used to locate the astral rift, I release an impulse of energy. The pulse ripples outward, bouncing off celestial bodies. Some pulses fade, while others return to me—almost like echolocation.

Repeating the process, I slowly navigate the realm. Hours seem to pass before I notice the echoes are now returning from a single direction. My grin spreads from ear to ear as I realize I'm getting closer. Overcome with excitement, I sprint toward the source of resonance, forgetting everything else.

The astral mist thickens as I run, obscuring the stars and my energy pulses. Before long, I can't see anything—not the stars, the celestial bodies, or my path. I slow to a stop, disoriented. A sinking realization sets in.

I'm lost in the astral realm.

________________

(Ezra's POV)

Watching my son steel himself within the barrier stirred emotions I hadn't felt in years. During our time in hiding, my sole focus has been keeping him safe and preparing him for this moment. I may have forgotten, at times, that he is more than just a pupil of mine. But until we escape this cursed continent, that's how it must be—for his survival.

Now that he's situated in the barrier, I can shift my focus to the real threat: the astral behemoths drawing near. Setting up camp in the mountains is a double-edged sword. The weakened barrier between realms here makes accessing the astral plane easier, but it also attracts these creatures. Earlier, I sensed a few of them in the area. Now, however, I feel an entire horde approaching.

Rustling in the bushes near the camp pulls my attention. I tie my braids behind my head, activate my Fate Constellation, and summon a sword forged of solar energy. Five Void Serpents, each over two meters long, burst from the undergrowth.

I sidestep the first serpent, slashing downward to sever its head. Though these Void-born creatures are far from the most powerful I've faced, their venom can decay a celestial core—a threat I can't afford to ignore. The second serpent spits venom at me. I manifest a radiant shield in my left hand to block the attack while dodging the third serpent snapping at my ankles.

Normally, I'd use a solar wave to wipe out pests like these in an instant. But doing so risks drawing attention to our location—something I can't allow, especially with Cyrus in the middle of his trial.

As I evade another strike, I let my shield dissolve, summoning a second sword instead. With a burst of energy, I charge at the serpents. My twin blades arc through the air, leaving glowing solar crescents in their wake. Two more serpents fall, their heads cleaved cleanly off.

Sensing movement behind me, I focus cosmic energy into my legs and leap straight up, narrowly avoiding the fourth serpent lunging for my back. Mid-air, I reform one of my swords into a dagger and hurl it at the serpent. The weapon pierces its head, the radiant energy igniting it in a flash of light.

I land softly, turning to face the final serpent. With a sharp exhale, I reshape my remaining blade into a war hammer. Planting my rear foot firmly, I launch forward with explosive force, closing the distance in an instant. The serpent has no time to react as I swing the hammer in a devastating arc, crushing its side. Blood splatters across the ground, and the Void Serpent crumples, lifeless.

I shake the remnants of blood off the hammer, letting it fade away as I glance toward Cyrus. He remains motionless in the barrier, deep in his trance, oblivious to the chaos outside. The protective dome is unbroken—so far, the trial continues undisturbed.

Just as I begin to relax, a powerful cosmic presence floods my senses. The ground trembles beneath me as dull thuds grow louder, each one heavier than the last. My fists tighten as I recognize the sheer density of the energy approaching.

"Can the universe give me just one break?" I mutter under my breath, already preparing for another fight.

The trees ahead part as an enormous figure steps into view: a Stellar Fiend Chimera. Towering at six meters tall, the beast's gleaming fangs drip with venom, and its serpent-like tail writhes menacingly behind it. Massive wings unfurl from its back, stirring the air as if readying to strike.

I summon another solar blade, its golden light cutting through the dim forest. My heart pounds as I lock eyes with the beast. This fight will be anything but easy—and I'll need to finish it without compromising Cyrus' trial.