Kai crouched low, their fingers brushing the cool, dust-covered surface of the relic. Above them, through cracks in the crumbling infrastructure, the glow of New Lhasa's airborne skyline flickered like a second sky. Houses floated serenely on anti-gravity platforms, tethered by shimmering energy streams to sleek skyscrapers that pierced the clouds. Flying cars zipped through the air in organized chaos, their lights casting shifting patterns on the ground below.

But down here, beneath the glittering heights of the city, the air was thick and stale, and the only lights were the faint blue flickers of Kai's wrist lamp. The artifact they had unearthed was out of place — too pristine, too intricate to be left in a forgotten corner of the tech graveyard.

"Another dud?" crackled Rue's voice in Kai's earpiece. Their partner was stationed high above, likely lounging in a sky-cube apartment tethered to one of the city's hovering markets.

Kai smirked, brushing grime off the artifact. "Not sure yet. Looks…different. Could be valuable."

"Different?" Rue's tone sharpened with interest. "Please tell me it's retirement-fund different."

Kai didn't answer. Their focus locked on the object in their hands—a small, metallic sphere covered in swirling patterns. The designs seemed to ripple under their touch, like drops falling into still water.

"Kai?" Rue prompted.

"I'm serious. This isn't standard scrap," Kai muttered. "Feels alive."

"Alive? That's comforting," Rue said dryly.

Kai ignored the sarcasm, their mind racing. New Lhasa was a city of innovation, its foundation built on layers of forgotten technology. Above ground, everything gleamed—floating temples, shimmering markets, and AI-controlled traffic weaving through the sky. But below, the city's underbelly was a wasteland of discarded experiments and failed progress. That was where scavengers like Kai thrived, searching for relics to sell to the highest bidder.

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This relic, however, wasn't junk. It pulsed faintly in their hands, a rhythmic vibration that matched no machine Kai had ever seen.

Before Rue could press them further, the sphere came to life.

A sharp hum filled the air, growing louder until it resonated in Kai's chest. The swirling patterns on the artifact began to glow, first faintly, then brighter, casting the chamber in an otherworldly light.

"Kai? What's happening?" Rue's voice crackled with static.

Kai staggered back, heart racing. "I don't know—"

The light intensified, and suddenly the ground beneath Kai's feet trembled. Cracks speared through the concrete, and the walls around them shimmered and shifted. Glowing symbols appeared, faint at first, then blazing bright, etched into the very fabric of the chamber.

"Kai! Talk to me!" Rue shouted.

Kai stumbled toward the exit, but a force yanked them back. The artifact floated from their hands, spinning rapidly as a rift split the air before them. Through the jagged tear, Kai saw glimpses of a world that defied logic—lush forests glowing with bioluminescent light, creatures with iridescent wings, and a sky painted in hues of violet and green.

"No way," Kai whispered.

The portal pulsed, and the pull became too strong to resist. Kai felt themselves being dragged forward, weightless. With a final, desperate glance at the glowing artifact, they were sucked into the unknown.

Kai landed hard, gasping for breath. The ground beneath them was soft, like moss, and the air carried a faint hum — like music without a source. They sat up, dazed, taking in their surroundings. Towering trees with glowing leaves stretched skyward, their branches alive with flowing, golden streams of energy.

It was unlike anything Kai had ever seen. No floating buildings, no flying cars. Just raw, unbridled beauty.

"You shouldn't be here," a voice said.

Kai spun around, their heart racing. A figure stepped out from the shadows, cloaked in dark robes. Their eyes glowed faintly, and their form flickered at the edges, like static on a broken screen.

Kai instinctively gripped the artifact tighter. "Who are you?"

The figure tilted their head. "You've brought the Waystone, haven't you?”

"The what?" Kai asked, stepping back.

The figure's glowing eyes narrowed. “Then you've already doomed us all.”