Unaware of the number of people who were searching for him Cassius was sitting on the branch of a large tree marveling at the sight of a small town a few days journey from here, he was finally leaving this godforsaken forest just thinking about t brought a smile to his face but that smile soon turned to a frown as he remembered there was one last thing he had to do.
Today was the day that he would complete his ether refinement method: ether refinement methods are scriptures, records created by an individual or groups of individuals to absorb and enhance their control and circulation of ether. Not everybody can practice the same method as sometimes ether refinement methods are tailored to certain elemental or physical attributes.
"The Chaotic star nurturing record" this was Cassius own creation, with the help of a divine artifact he had deduced an ether refinement technique that suited him perfectly, a smile came to his face as he thought about the mischief, he had caused just to get the chance to create his own refinement method. "If only -" buried memories were about to resurface but now was not the time so he buried them deeper this time 'don't focus on the past only the future' Cassius thought to himself as night came upon him.
Cassius made a fire with tree branches before sitting down cross legged close to the fire, he watched the stars shining brightly above him before he took deep breaths and then he entered into a meditative state and began absorbing energy from the stars causing shining white lights to surround him.
It was a gradual process that Cassius had been performing since his awakening and today he was going to complete it, to cultivate the Chaotic star nurturing record one must first create an astral core by gathering and absorbing energy from the stars but such energy was incredibly domineering and very dangerous so Cassius had been slowly gathering star energy for the past week every night and today he was going to complete his astral core.
Just a little more, come on Cassius whispered to the bright lights surrounding him as even as sweat began pouring from his body step by step the astral core was becoming complete and then
click!
It was a soft silent sound but in Cassius ears it was very loud a wide smile appeared on his face because that sound signified the completion of his astral core it was time to celebrate. That's when Cassius newly formed astral core was still growing and was shining very brightly as if it was going to explode.
"Ugh? Really thought it was going to blow" Cassius said relief on his face and then
Bang!
it was like a bomb went off inside him as Cassius collapsed on the ground, twisting in pain as the astral core shattered into countless tiny pieces and then they rushed into his body fusing with every single part of his body, starting with his heart, then his blood and organs and then finally his bones.
Cassius was still conscious as the astral energy continued to run rampart and fusing with every part of his body, the pain was overwhelming but it was not enough to bring him down, so Cassius watched the astral energy instead and he understood had his bones and body not been tempered by his primal bloodlines the astral energy would have shattered every bone in his body before rebuilding it into something that can harness astral energy, but since his body was more than strong enough to handle it the astral energy opted for the path of fusion, painful path but also a necessary one.
The pain rose to a whole new level when the astral energy fused with his ether, the collision of these two sources of energy felt like it was going to tear his body apart but that's when his physique of beginning and end released a subtle hum both energies merged seamlessly. Once the fusion was done, Cassius was filled with so much power he felt like he could level this entire forest with a wave of his hand, but Cassius knew it was an illusion and indulging in that feeling would lead him down a path of destruction.
Cassius sat down knowing he was about to cross the finish line, he began pulling the ether in the surrounding towards him and absorbing it, refining it into a small circular ball, something that resembled a miniature star Cassius whispered "aloud not there yet but soon" before he continued absorbing to absorb ether until he managed to create thirteen miniature stars.
And then from his body, colored balls of light; each light representing Cassius elemental attributes and then each of them flew toward a single star and merged with it, transforming it in their own likeness. For instant his fire element turned the star a fiery red, his lightning element transformed the star into a royal purple, water element into an ocean blue star …. the transformation was for all his element and that was when Cassius saw the changes caused by the three mysterious elements it all but confirmed his suspicion about their identities the elements of time, space and fate.
Each of them transformed the star they merged with in a very unique way when Cassius stared into the star of time, he saw a long river that eternally demonstrated past, present and future.
For space he saw a vast expanse beyond anything he had ever seen, it was cold and unending, and he felt like he could get lost in the possibilities of it all so Cassius took his gaze away from the star of space and stared at the last one the star that contained fate
when Cassius gazed on it he saw threads woven out of the strings of fate, he saw paths of destiny, the red strings of karmic cause and effect, Cassius saw everything connected in a way many people failed to realize just as he was about to get lost in what he saw, the stars shook ejecting Cassius gaze from it and then all thirteen stars flew into his body loud sounds echoed from his body as Cassius began to breakthrough.
BOOM genesis rank sixth stage
BOOM seventh stage
BOOM eighth stage
BOOM ninth stage
BOOM tenth stage
Cassius was initially at the fifth stage of the genesis rank after his awakening and with each rank having ten stages, Cassius was now at the peak of the genesis realm, just one step away from a breakthrough into the next rank.
Cassius with an unreadable expression gazed at the stars and said "soon" and then he turned to leave in the direction of town when something jumped out of the bushes its claws heading straight for Cassius throat.
The claws went through Cassius but instead of connecting through flesh it was like it had gone through calm breeze it then turned towards the image of Cassius that was beginning to fade into the wind
an afterimage
his attacker turned to flee noticing the signs of danger, but it was too late
Bang
Crack
Cassius channeling his ether towards his fist delivered a powerful blow to his attacker hammering its head straight to the ground the sound of its skull shattering echoed through the woods.
Cassius had a clean look at the corpse of his attacker and had only one word to say "shit", it was a silver horned wolf a beast at the peak of tier one and the thing about wolves is that they hunt in packs
Growl
Growl
Growl
the growl of the wolves and the crimson eyes that lit up in the dark alerted Cassius to the presence of about a dozen wolves, 'well this is a good opportunity to test my strength' was the thought on Cassius mind as he charged straight at the wolves.
*******************************
in a faraway palace hidden among the stars
Astreira
Thalos
two figures appeared bowing towards the voice before they spoke " you called for us master"
"Someone walks the astral path once more, take the sky covering squad and find him"
"And what should we do when we find him" the two figures answered simultaneously
"Kill him" the voice answered
"As you wish master" and just as quickly as they came, they vanished
"Hegemon of the stars, your lineage will perish this I promised you and until I pass from this world this is a promise I will go through hell to keep" the voice spoke with such hatred and authority that every shining star in his vicinity winked out of existence.