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 don't have time to lollygag. I need to keep pushing forward—besides, who's gonna watch over you and make sure you don't get trapped again?"

Seeing my father's disposition change as he sighed, I proceeded to start the process of absorbing Adam's core. As I drew in the energy, I could feel the difference between the essence of an Astral Behemoth and a Starbound. The energy from a Behemoth felt erratic and without purpose, but the essence of a Starbound core felt calm and controlled, like a domesticated animal. The more cosmic energy I took in, the more I could feel the borders of my core expand. The process wasn't comfortable at all, especially since this core's potency was higher than mine.

Enduring this process showed me that even though I had defeated Adam, I was still vastly outclassed. If I didn't have the Eternal Scale of the Hydra, he would have definitely beaten me, even if his core was smaller than what was normal at that stage. I was truly lucky for that. And I finally understood just how much danger I had been in when that man with the Iron Warden Constellation attacked me.

Pressing forward with the extraction, the pain started to increase as I doubled the volume of cosmic energy I was absorbing. It was something I had to endure because I needed to be quick to offset my core's energy leak. Now, with the increased flow, I felt the borders of my core expand to the point where cracks began forming and mending themselves in rapid succession, causing me to wail in pain.

"Cyrus, are you okay? Do you need to stop and take a break?"

"I'm fine, Dad. I'm almost done. Just a little further now," I gritted my teeth, increasing the absorption volume one last time to make the final push.

Then, like a flash, a raging torrent of cosmic energy came flooding into my core as if a dam had just broken, forcing my core to expand faster than it could mend itself. It felt like my core was about to shatter and lose the shape it once had. Then, almost as if it had a mind of its own, I felt the power of my relic activate. It increased the power and efficiency with which my core could mend itself. And before I knew it, my core's inner shell had formed anew.

With the absorption complete, I could feel the drastic difference in the size of my core. The amount of cosmic energy I currently had would have been at peak capacity with my old core size. Now, it only amounted to about half.

"You had me worried for a second. How are you feeling?" my father asked, placing his hands on me to help calm me down as I caught my breath after the struggle and pain I had just endured.

"I could really use a nap. I just realized—I've been up for about two weeks," I said, my legs buckling as I slumped to the ground. "But I need to see Dox."

"Why?"

"Because now, I believe I have enough cosmic energy to finish my first Resonance Trial."

"No, it can wait. I'll let you rest for a while, because for the next few months, I don't think you'll be able to."

"Why? Can't we just take one of these trucks and travel that way? I would have more than enough time to rest"

"No. We're traveling through the Astral Realm."