They spent two days traveling to get to Citrine, arriving faster than Caleb expected. Every night, they stopped to let Chris rest after transporting them throughout the day. Caleb used this time at camp to practice conjuring more items with Emilia’s instruction. He visualized the energy rifle from before in his mind and formed the projection by channeling energy through his heart. The gun appeared in his hand, and he proceeded to examine it. It Looked precisely the same as the first one he summoned, with chaotic lines snaking their way around the gun. Aiming towards a tree, he tried firing with no result like before.

“So are small items like these the only thing you can conjure?” Emilia asked. Caleb looked at Emilia and concentrated on forming a wall next to her. He pictured a solid brick wall with no cracks or holes in it. He ran energy through his heart when he had the image in mind. However, Caleb felt his ability struggle, draining his energy reserves and stopping before it emptied his energy pool. He thought he could try materializing the wall near Emilia, but the energy required was too great. Thinking back to the fight with the goblin, he pictured the wall again and only channeled energy through his mind. The wall popped into existence being, roughly six by six feet into place next to her, making Emilia jump back from it.

“I think my power has two modes. Illusion and materialization. It took too much energy to form when I tried conjuring the wall using the same paths as the rifle. However, once I had it take form as an illusion, it formed with ease.”

“Hmm, summon as many walls as possible in a straight line that way,” Emilia pointed towards a clearing through the trees. Obeying, Caleb began summoning one wall after the other. It felt easier to make them quickly, although he noticed a growing tension in his head. Making the tenth wall, Caleb felt a jolt of pain run through his head, losing focus. The walls and the rifle in his hand dissipated into smoke, leaving no trace.

“I think that’s my limit for now,” He panted. “That left me with a terrible headache and nothing to show for it.”

…

“Prepare for landing!” Chris yelled with glee. Caleb tried preparing but hit the ground hard, rolling on the dirt before stopping. He quickly jumped to his feet, removing his blindfold. He glared at Chris and then turned to the city. He stared at the open ocean, breathing in the salty air. The sun was dipping towards the horizon, making the water glitter like gold. Multiple boats dotted the harbor, ranging from small fishing boats to large sea fairing vessels. Walls surrounded the city, standing over twenty feet tall with no blemishes that Caleb could spot. Surrounding the walls, buildings, markets, and farms were scattered along the border, reaching out towards the land. Above the walls, Caleb saw a large tower with the same symbol on Arthur’s coat displayed in glass towards the top.

“What’s that building over there?” Caleb asked.

“That would be The Order of Luminara. I am a member of the order and can show you the temple if you are interested,” Arthur responded. Caleb thanked him and continued appreciating the area.

“Let’s get going. We must go to the adventurers guild and confirm your story, Caleb.” Grace spooked Caleb out of his appreciation for the city.

Entering through the East gate, the group maneuvered through the bustling streets. Caleb noted the city was filled to the brim with people. He saw merchants selling wares on the streets and tour guides leading large groups around the roads and alleys. Tightly packed buildings left only a few alleys tucked in between. From what Caleb could tell, the buildings were made of bricks and concrete, with many glass monoliths rising high in the air.

Caleb bumped into Emilia and snapped out of his daze.

“We’re here,” Emilia said, slightly annoyed. The group stood in front of a large brick building with stairs leading to a large set of double doors. Above the door, three perfect circles linked together, forming a ven diagram. Each circle was a different color, with the intersection between all three being black.

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“The Supreme Arbiter founded the guild system. Though he is long dead, his influence permeates nations worldwide,” Grace stated.

“Stories say he judged people with the power of a god. Others say he was a god. I say if half the rumors were true, he wouldn’t be dead.” Chris added.

Stepping inside the guild hall, Caleb was greeted with large pillars on both sides of the door. The room was square, with lights hanging off the ceiling. Multiple tables were arranged around a central bar with a large chandelier hanging above it, with many adventurers lounging, playing games, or resting. To the left wall was a large fireplace that crackled with energy, filling the entire room with warmth. To the right wall was a board filled with various papers and notices offering jobs and information. A few milled around the board looking for assignments relative to their skill level. Caleb's group walked through the hall towards the back left corner, where a small door was. Stepping through, a woman was sitting behind a wooden desk made of dark wood. She had red hair and wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. She had a deep scowl as she looked through a stack of papers on her desk.

“Guildmaster Ember, we have important news. City Etheria has been attacked,” Arthur announced.

“Oh my, I’m surprised I haven’t heard of this sooner. Also, please stop being so formal, Arthur; please call me Aurelia,” She said with a thin smile. “You’ll need to grab some chairs from outside, but let's sit and discuss what you have found out,” Aurelia ordered.

After the group was seated, Arthur told Caleb to retell his story. As he was about to begin, he felt a chill run down his back as Aurelia set her gaze upon him. Shaking the feeling, he described his experience from mayhem taking the city to him running in the forest from the wolves. When he was done, Aurelia had a cold demeanor, and her jaw was clenched tight.

“Thank you, Grace, please go get Leo and Sera. I’ll be organizing a mission to collect information on Etheria’s current situation and plan from there,” Aurelia said. Grace got up, following her orders, and left the room. Once the door closed, Aurelia faced Caleb and said, “Now, Mr. Rivers, I’d like to know what you’ll do in the coming months. As you can guess, I can’t let you spread this information until we fully grasp the situation. With that being said, I do want to help you.” A warm smile spread across her face as she delivered her words.

“I intend to help with the recovery of the city. I have people I want to find who may still be in the city. I’ll need help training my power, but give me a solid weapon, and I’ll master it in no time.” Caleb thought of Josh and where he might be. He wasn’t sure if he was alive, but he knew he had to go back if there was a chance.

“Bold. I admire that. It will be dangerous, but I believe your survival instinct will get you through, if nothing else. I’ll leave you on Arthur's team as I’m sure you’ve begun to befriend them. Mentioning that where’s Alven. I would’ve assumed he would come to deliver the news with you, but I assume he has pressing matters?” Aurelia asked. The room went quiet as everyone’s faces went downcast. Aurelia's face turned into shock at the realization. “What happened?”

“H-He was protecting me. We were fighting a group of ogres, and one had caught me. He saved me but--,” Emilia muttered, holding back tears. Then her face twisted in anger, and she yelled, “When we go back, I’m going to kill so many monsters they’ll regret even living in the same world as me.”

While Emilia was still seething, Chris took Caleb and declared, “Let’s get going. I’ll show you where you’ll be staying for a while.”

Chris led the way through the city's streets, getting closer to the walls. As they passed various shops and buildings, Caleb noticed the buildings looked older and more worn down from age. The sun was ending its journey below the horizon when Chris stopped in front of a two-story house. The walls had a brick exterior with multiple square windows going up the building. The door was made of smooth and varnished wood. Stepping inside, the smell of coffee was heavy, with hints of burnt food lingering in the air. They were inside the living room, which was very well decorated. There was a couch facing a large screen inside the wall. Below it was a fireplace with spare wood sitting nearby. Along the walls hung various paintings depicting fascinating landscapes and battles. To the right was a set of stairs. To the room's left was an open door with the kitchen visible beyond.

“Well, make yourself at home. You’ll have to stay in the living room until the others get back and decide where we’ll put ya,” Chris said. Chris walked up the stairs out of sight. A few minutes later, Caleb heard the sound of a loud beast snoring. He looked up at the roof above his head in shock before shaking his head. Staring at the screen before him, he began pondering his plans for the future.