Chapter 53

(Ezra's POV)

"What do you mean you fought my brother?" I lashed out at Kael.

"Just as I said, my dear old emperor. You both had the same look on your faces once you realized that there was something in this world that could stand up against your attacks. Honestly, it's too funny. I can definitely tell you grew up privileged. That's how all privileged people look when things don't go their way."

"Where is he? Is he alive?" I demanded.

"Oh, dear Ezra, do you really think I'm just going to hand over that information? You're going to have to force it out of me. But judging by the state of your cosmic energy signature, I'm not entirely sure you even have what it takes to finish that task."

Furious, I precisely channeled cosmic energy into my legs and dashed toward Kael. Standing before him in an instant, I swung my solar mace at his head, forcing him to block one of the few places on his body unprotected by his incredible armor. He caught my downward strike with his forearms, absorbing the blow but sinking slightly into the soft terrain of the astral realm. Without hesitation, I charged a ball of solar energy in my free hand and thrust it into his chest.

The impact sent Kael sliding backward, but his armor only bore a slight dent.

"Oh, are we upping the ante? Nice attempt. But like I said earlier, you're going to need a lot more than that to defeat me. If you keep holding back that power of yours, you'll never learn your brother's fate. And you may very well lose your son after this battle. Unless, of course, you'd prefer we finish the job we started a couple of years ago," Kael taunted, trying to provoke me further.

The most frustrating part of this fight was my restraint—I was trying to preserve the area. I didn't want the bodies of the miners to be harmed. Their families deserved the chance to bury them. If I activated my second or third rune, they would be destroyed instantly.

Focusing solar energy into my feet, I launched into the air, flying away from the battlefield.

"Is the great Ezra Solaris a coward now? Running with his tail between his legs like the fawn he is?" Kael shouted, blasting geysers of lava from the ground in an attempt to knock me off course.

The eruptions were slow enough for me to dodge, but I knew this wasn't just a basic attack. He was using the excess lava to mask his presence as well.

What is it about this lava that makes him seem like he disappears off the face of the earth? I can't even track him with my infrared sight—he just blends in, I thought as I approached a safer space to continue the battle.

As soon as I landed, far from the corpses of the slain miners, a deep rumble shook the ground. Suddenly, molten rock burst upward as the hulking man emerged, lunging for my throat. I barely managed to dodge, channeling cosmic energy into my legs for a quick burst of speed.

With Kael now fully surfaced, I noticed something different—his hands were no longer bare. Massive obsidian gauntlets had manifested, inscribed with glowing volcanic runes. As I observed them more closely, I noticed another peculiarity—the gauntlets shifted between solid rock and molten metal.

"You know, Ezra, very few have seen these and lived to tell the story. You should feel honored that you've pushed me this far, forcing me to reveal my soul weapon," Kael declared, releasing more of his cosmic energy into the gauntlets.

In a swift motion, he shot several jabs in my direction. At first, I was confused—why was he throwing punches from such a distance? Then, before I could react, I was struck by several localized volcanic eruptions in my midsection.

The heat wasn't the problem—it was the sheer force. My current cosmic energy reserves weren't enough to keep a constant layer of defense around myself, and as a result, I felt several ribs crack, one of them puncturing a lung. Forcing my breathing to become labored.

The worst part? Kael had incredible stamina, so he threw jabs relentlessly. By tracking the cosmic energy flowing into his gauntlets, I managed to time some of the explosions, but for every five punches he threw, two still connected.

As I frantically dodged the barrage of eruptions, my vision became increasingly blurred from the debris and impact of the explosions. Yet even amid the chaos, I couldn't help but think about Cyrus.

Even though he cleared the category two rift, fighting a seasoned Starbound a stage above him is an entirely different challenge. But if I know my son, he won't let that deter him. He's proven time and time again that he will surpass my expectations.

Suddenly, an incredible force crashed into my clavicle, sending me flying across the battlefield. Quickly regaining my bearings, I scanned for the source of the attack, but—just like before—I couldn't sense or see the massive titan.

Immediately, I channeled solar energy into my feet, attempting to launch myself into the sky. But I was too slow.

A massive gauntlet shot from the ground, seizing my ankle and slamming me back into the earth. Before I could react, the other gauntlet wrapped around my neck, lifting me into the air.

"You're not getting out of my grasp, Ezra," Kael said as I desperately pried at his hands. "These gauntlets have two primary functions. You've already experienced the first—localized volcanic eruption fists. But the second function allows me to create seismic anchors, letting me crush anything with the force of tectonic plates.

Any last words, Ezra? I figure that's the least I can offer after such a lovely battle," he mocked.

"Yeah, I do, actually," I gasped, letting my hands drift away from the gauntlets.

With what little cosmic energy I had left, I channeled it into my second rune. A portal to my astral forge opened, and I called forth the weapon that had once struck terror into my enemies during the war.

"Come, Dawnbringer."