Chapter 7

Ezra POV

"Surround him," the leader of the group commanded. The men dispersed from behind him, forming a circle around me and preparing for a fight. I needed to get out of this situation fast. Cyrus was most likely surrounded by multiple experienced Star Seekers. While he might hold his own against one or two, an entire squad was far more than he could handle.

I formed a solar staff in my hand and swung it in a wide arc, creating a brilliant wave of light that crashed into the two opponents to my left. However, their gear absorbed the energy I sent their way.

"You see, we've done our research. How do you think we wiped out your clan? Of course, we figured out how to bridge the gap," the pale man said, chuckling confidently.

"Well, this just makes things a little easier for me," I retorted, vanishing from my spot. I reappeared behind the two men who had absorbed my energy. Channeling my cosmic energy into my arms, I delivered palm strikes to both of them, shattering their armor and breaking their ribs.

"Ah, I guess they're still fragile, huh?" I mocked their leader.

The remaining squad members activated their various Fate Constellations, releasing bursts of cosmic energy. One man's fists transformed into red ethereal claws, and he dashed toward me, slashing the air with energy waves. While I dodged the slashes, his comrades attacked my flanks—one launched an ice spear, and the other hurled a javelin made of wind.

I conjured two solar shields mid-air to deflect the projectiles, redirecting them toward their senders before landing back on the ground.

"Has the Emperor of the Sun lost a step since his war days?" the leader taunted as he threw off his cloak, revealing his armor and broadsword.

"Oh no, I'm just not about to kill misguided fools like you. Besides, you're not even worth me going all out," I replied.

"Big talk for someone who couldn't save his clan," the man sneered as he lunged at me, swinging his sword in a vertical strike.

I easily blocked the blow by reinforcing my forearm, then struck his sternum with a powerful palm thrust, sending him flying back. I immediately pursued, catching him mid-air and delivering an uppercut that launched him even higher. Deciding to send a message, I flew up to meet him again, rotating my body to deliver a devastating kick to his abdomen. His limp body plummeted to the ground, creating a crater upon impact.

"We're done here, and you better hope nothing has happened to my son," I warned the two remaining men, who still stood on guard. "If you truly did your research, you'd know I'm far out of your league. You should have sent an army instead."

"That may be true for you, Ezra," one of them said, "but what about your son? He might not have been so lucky. We sent another squad into the mountains as well."

Hearing this, I wasted no time. Ignoring his words, I dashed forward and knocked both of them unconscious with quick chops to their necks.

Then I sprinted like a madman toward our campsite. The fact that Cyrus had been able to send a second alert was promising—it meant he had at least survived the first wave. As I ran, I didn't bother with my surroundings. Trees and brush stood no chance as I barreled through them.

The closer I got, the heavier the air became, thick with a bloodlust that dropped the temperature. "Hold on, Cyrus. I'm almost there," I thought desperately.

When I finally reached the campsite, it looked like a war zone. Dismembered bodies lay scattered across the ground. One corpse had a gaping hole in its chest, while others were missing limbs. Three attackers still stood, surrounding my son.

Cyrus was breathing heavily, his clothes tattered and his body covered in lacerations. He was almost completely drained of cosmic energy, but the rage in his eyes remained. He didn't look like my teenage son anymore. The expression on his face, coupled with the volatile energy radiating from him, revealed something else entirely—a glimpse of his untamed potential. I saw the embodiment of destruction.

I didn't give the attackers a chance to make another move. With one explosive step, I was behind them. Cyrus and I locked eyes for a brief moment before I swept the attackers' legs, sending them crashing to the ground. I followed with three decisive strikes to their stomachs. Two of them passed out instantly, but one remained conscious.

Even after neutralizing the threats, the bloodlust lingered in the air. I turned just in time to see Cyrus preparing to deliver a killing blow to an already incapacitated man who was missing a leg. I dashed over, pulling him away and tossing him aside.

"Why did you stop me? He needed to die like the others!"

"Cyrus, the fight is over. There's no need to go further."

"Why are you protecting him? These are the people who killed our clan! The ones who killed Mom! You weren't there when it happened. You didn't see the horrors they unleashed on our people! You didn't watch the life leave our loved ones' eyes. I did. I saw it all. The streets of our town were painted red with their blood. Every night, I relive that nightmare!"

"Cyrus, there is another way."

"Dad, you and I both know there isn't. People like them only understand one thing—bloodshed," he said, his voice cracking as tears began to stream down his face.

I could see and feel the pain in his heart. I walked over, pulled him into a tight embrace, and let him release it all. His body gave out, collapsing into my arms.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there, Cyrus. I'm sorry I couldn't protect everyone or save your mother. That's a mistake I'll never make again," I whispered as I held him.

Leaving Cyrus to regain his composure, I approached the man who was still conscious. Grabbing him by his collar, I stared into his eyes. "Who do you work for? Why did you attack my son and me?"

"We're exactly what your son said—we're the ones who killed your clan. We are the Lux Tenebris," the man rasped. "As for who we serve? Us low-rank Starbound don't know. We follow orders from the generals. What they want now is the complete destruction of the Solaris Clan and anyone who bears its Fate Constellation."

His words sent a chill down my spine. This wasn't just a coup while I was away. This was a calculated effort by a shadowy organization, operating undetected for who knows how long.

The precision of their attack raised more troubling questions. There was no way to infiltrate our main city without intimate, precise knowledge. Someone within our clan—or someone high up in the government—had betrayed us, working with this organization.

I threw the man to the ground and returned to check on Cyrus.

"Are you doing better?" I asked.

He didn't answer, his eyes fixed on the bodies strewn across the mountain floor.

"We need to leave this city. These mountains are no longer safe. Gather what's left of our belongings."

"What are we going to do with them?" he asked, finally breaking his silence, nodding toward the unconscious attackers.

"They won't be moving anytime soon."

"You might get away today, Ezra," the man on the ground said, laughing weakly. "But we're everywhere. You won't be able to hide much longer. Especially now, after showing yourself in this region. And it seems we have one less person to worry about, too. Must sting to know your big gamble didn't pay off, huh? Must hurt to know your son didn't inherit the same power," he added with a taunting sneer.

Before I could respond, Cyrus spoke, his voice cold and steady. "Look who's still standing. A group of first-stage Starbound couldn't defeat a thirteen-year-old boy who just awakened his power."

Blood trickled from Cyrus's mouth as he spat to the side. Watching him, I felt a mix of pride and fear. He might be a prodigy, but his willingness to kill and his loss of control frightened me.

I took one last glance around at the carnage, wishing things were different but accepting that this was the beginning of our new path.

"Let's go, Cy."

Cyrus grimaced as he stood, each step a painful effort. I took the belongings he had gathered to lighten his burden.

"Thanks, Dad," he muttered.

"Of course. You're in no shape to carry anything right now."

"No, I mean… thanks for earlier. I lost control. I snapped when I saw their uniforms."

"I'm just glad you're safe now," I replied, trying to reassure him. I knew this wasn't the time to lecture him on his actions. This moment was one of the few times we had ever talked about that day.

Both of us carried the weight of the massacre. We never spoke about it, almost as though ignoring it would make it less real. Deep down, though, I knew the truth. I had failed my people, my clan, my wife, and my son. If I could go back, I would have stayed. I wouldn't have left to chase that relic with my father.

It took hours to descend the mountain. When we reached the base, I noticed that the men I had defeated were still out cold. No reinforcements had come, confirming my suspicion that they were the only ones in this region. Even so, I wasn't willing to risk entering the city and being seen.

Our boat by the river had not been discovered and destroyed. "Cyrus, you ready to go fishing?" I asked.

He looked at me as though I'd lost my mind, then saw me uncovering the hidden brush concealing another boat.

"I have a feeling we're not going to be touching grass for a while," he said, grimacing.

"It's the safest option. You need time to recover, and there are things I need to teach you before we reach the next city."

"Did you happen to grab any spices while scouting?" Cyrus joked.

"Out of everything that's happened, this is what you're focused on?"

"I'm just saying… the Lux whatever destroyed our spice jar," he replied with a smirk.

I couldn't help but chuckle as I helped him into the boat.

"Good thing these fish are a little salty," I said, paddling us downstream.