The first thing I noticed was the walls.

They loomed ahead of us, towering over the landscape like a fortress out of some fantasy epic. Massive stone blocks, each etched with glowing runes, formed an impenetrable barrier that seemed more alive than inert. The runes pulsed faintly, their light ebbing and flowing like a heartbeat.

“Is that… the town?” I asked, my voice caught somewhere between awe and disbelief.

Kiera didn’t break stride. “What did you expect? A campfire and some tents?”

“Kind of,” I admitted, picking up my pace to keep up with her.

She snorted, though it wasn’t clear if she found me amusing or pitiful.

As we approached the gate, the scale of the place became even more overwhelming. The gate itself was a massive slab of dark metal, reinforced with glowing rivets and guarded by two figures clad in sleek, black armor.

The guards were motionless at first, but as we neared, they stirred, their helmets tilting toward us. One raised a hand, and a faint hum filled the air as a glowing crystal embedded in their gauntlet lit up.

“Summoned?” the guard asked, their voice distorted by some kind of device.

“Yes,” Kiera replied curtly, stepping forward. “We’re here to trade.”

The guard’s gaze shifted to me, and for a moment, I felt like I was being weighed and measured. Finally, they nodded, stepping aside to let us pass.

“Don’t cause trouble,” the second guard said, their tone flat.

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Kiera muttered, brushing past them.

The noise hit me first.

It was a chaotic symphony of clinking metal, shouted bargains, and the occasional burst of laughter. The streets were packed with people—if they could even be called that.

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There were humans, sure, but there were also figures clad in glowing robes, their faces obscured by shimmering hoods; hulking brutes with skin like stone; and even a few that looked like they’d stepped straight out of a sci-fi movie.

“Are they…?” I started, but Kiera cut me off.

“Summoned. Like us. Aetherion doesn’t pull from just one world—it pulls from all of them.”

Her words sent a chill through me. I’d thought Aetherion was strange enough on its own, but the idea that it was a crossroads for countless realities made my head spin.

“Keep up,” Kiera said, glancing over her shoulder.

I hurried after her, nearly tripping over a cart piled high with glowing crystals. The merchant behind it barely spared me a glance, his attention focused on an argument with a customer over pricing.

The market stretched as far as I could see, a labyrinth of stalls and shops crammed together with little regard for order. Merchants shouted over each other, their voices blending into a cacophony that made it impossible to focus on any one thing.

“Potions! Freshly brewed!”

“Artifacts from the deepest dungeons!”

“Armor reinforced with celestial steel!”

I couldn’t decide where to look first. My eyes darted from one stall to the next, taking in the dizzying array of goods:

- A blacksmith hammering away at a sword that glowed with every strike.

- A food stall selling skewers of roasted meat that smelled incredible, even though I couldn’t recognize the animal.

- A potion shop with bubbling cauldrons, its shelves lined with bottles of every color imaginable.

Kiera kept walking, unbothered by the chaos. I hurried to catch up, my curiosity tugging me in a dozen directions at once.

“This place is insane,” I said, glancing around. “How does anyone even navigate it?”

“You get used to it,” she said. “But don’t get too comfortable. The town’s safer than the wilderness, but that doesn’t mean it’s safe.”

Her words made me pause. “What do you mean?”

She nodded toward a group of adventurers gathered near a fountain. They were heavily armed, their armor polished to a gleam and each one wearing a matching crimson insignia on their chest plates.

“Factions,” Kiera said. “Groups like that run this place. Some are fine. Some… aren’t. Stay out of their way.”

I swallowed hard, making a mental note to avoid eye contact.

We passed a large noticeboard near the center of the market, its surface covered with papers and glowing runes. Adventurers crowded around it, scanning its contents and arguing over quest assignments.

One posting caught my eye. It wasn’t the largest or the most ornate, but something about it drew me in.

The text shimmered, shifting between languages until it settled on one I could read:

*“Seeking those who have seen the light. Information exchange offered.”*

I stepped closer, but Kiera grabbed my arm, pulling me away.

“Don’t,” she said sharply. “You’re not ready for that kind of trouble.”

I hesitated, glancing back at the notice. The words still shimmered faintly, as if calling to me.

“Come on,” Kiera said, her tone suspicious this time. “I’ve got more important things to deal with.”