The wreckage sprawled before them, twisted metal, fragmented engines, and shattered glass littered the scene, bearing witness to the chaotic aftermath of a catastrophic event. The air hung heavy with the scent of charred wood and burnt machinery, adding an eerie ambiance to the desolation.

Captain Aurora Tiffin stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the remains with a mixture of curiosity and determination.

“Check for survivors,” Aurora said.

Dellen did not think finding signs of life was likely, but he agreed with Aurora, they had to check. He was unsure of how the ship had met its end, it could have been the violence of the storm, the unpredictable whim of the serpents, or the depredations of the pirates. Examining the hull, it was difficult to say what portions of the damage had been caused by the crash, and what, if anything had been damaged before impact.

He scanned the surroundings for bodies, if there had been a crash there should have been a sailor thrown clear, or impaled on the deck. The deck was free of bodies, and if they had been thrown clear, Dellen had not found them yet.

They landed nearby, and Finnegan was the first overboard. “We need to check inside,” he called.

Dellen sighed, if there were people inside they were not going to be anything he wanted to see. A brief exploration of the ship proved him right, they claimed the trading goods that had survived and buried the passengers and crew in canvas sacks, buried deep enough to escape the local fauna.

“You’re good at digging,” Aurora said to Dellen.

“For a noble?” He replied.

“Not everything has to be an insult, it’s true, most nobles don’t get their hands dirty, but I already knew you better than that,” she shook her head, “I’ve never seen anyone struck by lightning before, and then you just moved on like it was nothing.”

“She’s right you know,” Gilgamesh said, “That’s unusual even for an Aetherforged, you’re repeatedly dying has given you unique experience and a certain blasé attitude.”

Dellen grunted in response to both of them, “Thank you.”

Finnegan, Eliza, Bogsmith, Westlake, and Stevens all looked somber.

“We need to go on, there may have been other crashes, with survivors,” Aurora said.

Dellen doubted there were other crashes with survivors, but he agreed they needed to check.

The next ship they found had holes lining the hull. “What kind of crash causes damage like this?” Finnegan asked.

“Cannon fire,” said Aurora, her voice somber and serious.

“Cannon fire?” Eliza and Finnegan said in concert, both staring at Aurora.

“They were attacked.”

Dellen felt relief that he did not have to convince the captain.

“We should leave here and fly to Evergale as quickly as we can,” Aurora said, “We don’t know what else we might encounter.” She made brief eye contact with all of them before returning to her ship and climbing aboard. Her crew followed fastest, followed by Finnegan and Eliza, with Dellen and Gilgamesh trailing behind.

If there were more crashed ships from the fleet, they were sufficiently off course or hidden that Phoenix’s Flight failed to discover them on the course to Evergale. Two days later, they had their first sighting of the city. “Captain, captain!” Bogsmith yelled, “I see towers.”

Finnegan ran to the prow of the ship, almost hanging over the railing, hand over his eyes, trying to get a better look. “Evergale,” he said, his voice a mixture of excitement and longing.

Dellen stood, he had also been on deck, but his attention had been inward as he practiced with his Aether. “Evergale,” he murmured without the same excitement, Ravenport had dampened his enthusiasm for new cities. He looked ahead, and took in the distant sight of Evergale’s towers and spires, knowing that with his forged eyes, he could see it better than Finnegan and the crew.

Evergale was built on a mountain. Where Copperopolis was cogs circling within a circle, Evergale appeared to be rings, circling a mountain. Dozens and dozens of rings, they moved independently of each other, alternating between clockwise and counterclockwise movement between tiers. The thinnest of the rings was wide enough to provide space for several buildings, with roads between them, though every third or fourth ring was devoted to nothing but green space or, in a few cases, lakes. The speed of the rings varied, with the widest rings moving at the slowest pace.

Bridges existed between the rings, alone in the city, they were static, seeming to stop just short of the rings they allowed movement between.

They drew closer and saw the sky alive with airships, large and small. Eliza came onto the deck and sighed with relief, “Finally, something I can write about that isn’t depressing.” She settled down on the deck, jotting notes and sketching what she saw.

Vast fields stretched out beneath them, the land was divided into neat plots, each bursting with crops. Waves of green, gold, and amber rolled across the landscape for miles around the city, with fields dedicated to produce and livestock.

Dellen spared a moment to consider the use of the land, Copperopolis had cogs devoted to agriculture, but it looked like Evergale had more land devoted to agriculture than it had devoted to the city.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The Phoenix's Flight approached Evergale, and everyone gathered on the deck, their eyes alight with anticipation. Dellen could feel a palpable sense of excitement from all of them, the events of the trip temporarily forgotten.

"Look at those spires!" exclaimed Eliza, her voice filled with awe “Look at those rings, like home, and yet so different.”

“Remarkable,” Dellen said. It was different, whatever mechanism drove the rings, it left the Aether around the city thick enough to support airships.

“It's a sight to behold," replied Finnegan, a broad grin spreading across his face. "I can't wait to explore those streets. I’ve never imagined a city like this.”

“More beautiful than I’d expected,” Gilgamesh said.

Dellen nodded in agreement, his eyes scanning the cityscape. “I’d heard Evergale was known for its lush landscapes and green spaces. This surpasses my expectations. I wonder what kind of goods we'll find there."

Captain Tiffin joined them, her gaze fixed on the approaching landing platforms. "Keep your eyes sharp, crew. We'll need to find a suitable spot to dock. Look for an open platform."

As the Phoenix's Flight drew nearer, the crew marveled at the details of the city's architecture. Elaborate carvings of brass and copper adorned the buildings, and colorful banners fluttered in the breeze, adding a vibrant touch to the skyline. Familiar clockwork moved buildings about, giving Dellen a feeling of familiarity.

"There, to the left!" called out Westlake, pointing. "I see an open dock. It's just ahead." He was pointing at one of the lowest rings where there was a landing area.

Dellen scanned the ring and saw a wide area filled with smaller ships and what looked like merchant crews loading and unloading cargo. He thought he saw a dockmaster walking out to a ship that had just landed.

The crew's excitement grew as they prepared for the landing. They stood at the ready, while Captain Tiffin maneuvered the airship with practiced precision, aligning it with the spin of the designated ring.

"Steady now," Captain Tiffin instructed her voice firm but laced with excitement. "Prepare to land and secure the ship."

The Phoenix's Flight descended, and the crew braced themselves for the gentle impact. The landing platforms came into full view, bustling with activity as other airships maneuvered to find their own docking spaces.

With a soft thud, the ship's landing supports found purchase, making contact with the ground. The crew members let out a cheer of triumph.

"Excellent landing, everyone!" Aurora commended, her voice filled with pride. "We've made it to Evergale, our first city outside of Copperopolis.”

The first, but Dellen hoped not the last.

"Let's go," Finnegan said, legs bouncing, eyes shining.

“I don’t think it’s quite that simple,” Dellen said.

“Looks like we have a visitor coming,” Aurora said.

Captain Tiffin, stepped forward to engage with the dockmaster on the ground. The dockmaster, a middle-aged man with steelskin on a weathered face and a sense of authority approached, holding a ledger and wearing a welcoming smile. Dellen noted that the man was aetherforged, his skin glinted with a slight metallic sheen in the sun, stronger than his own.

“Welcome to the Arbour Shipyard, I am Tobias Hargreave, the dockmaster, I don’t recognize your vessel,” his eyes darted about narrowing as they went from face to face, lingering on Dellen’s, “Or any of you. Is this your first time with us?”

“Yes,” Aurora said.

Tobias made a note in his ledger. “Purpose of your trip?”

“Trade.”

“Homeport?”

“Copperopolis.”

Tobias snapped the pencil in his hand, “Pardon? Copperopolis is the sole province of The Mercantile Guild,” he said, his voice no longer as light.

“No longer.”

Tobias made several notations in his ledger. “You have unforged with you,” he said, this time addressing Dellen, “It might be better if they didn’t leave this dock, or perhaps even this ship.”

Dellen nodded, “If they chose to be forged, where could they find services to assist with that in the city.”

“To reach First Trinity? Any school should be able to arrange that within the hour.”

“We are new to the city,” Dellen said, “Perhaps you could suggest a school?”

Tobias nodded, “The Aetherweave Institute is closest to here. You don’t need to change rings, wear hats to keep your faces shaded, or hoods, and you should be able to reach it without finding yourself in too much trouble.”

“Trouble? What sort of trouble?” Aurora asked.

“Can any of you, except him,” Tobias pointed at Dellen, “Handle your Aether at all?” He took their lack of responses as a response all itself, “Well then, what kind of trouble? The kind where someone takes all of your money. This is a law-abiding city, but even the cleanest house has a little dirt, and you’re down here near the floor,” he said, casting his head up, pointing at the rings climbing up the mountain.

“The Aetherweave Institute,” Aurora repeated, “Thank you, we’ll make it our first excursion.”

“That’s where they went last time, too,” Gilgamesh said.

That gave Dellen a measure of comfort.

“There is a small matter of the dockage,” Tobias said.

Dellen left the captain to dicker with Tobias while he went below. When he emerged, Tobias was gone, and Westlake, Bogsmith, and Stevens were all wearing hats, presumably to ward off the sun, and make it less obvious that their skin didn’t glint in the light.

“Are we all going to the Aetherweave Institute?” He asked.

“Not all of us,” Aurora said, “My crew will stay to guard The Phoenix’s Flight. It’s bad policy to leave a ship unattended; she might get offended and think we don’t care about her anymore,” she stroked the ship, “It’s important that ships know how important they are.”

Dellen blinked a few times, “As you say, captain.”

“Eliza, Finnegan?”

Both of them looked nervous but nodded in the affirmative, “I should be able to put an end to any trouble we encounter on the way, but let’s be quick.”

The four of them left the dockyard behind, with Gilgamesh floating near Dellen’s shoulder, giving him directions. The city unfolded before them, a tapestry of moving rings and vibrant activity. Dellen couldn’t help but notice how the feel of the city’s movement underfoot was different. In Copperopolis the spin was faster and caused the view ahead to change often. In Evergale, the view ahead was static, but the view to the side was ever-shifting.

Eliza clutched her notebook tightly, her eyes darting around, capturing every detail she could. "This place is remarkable," she murmured, scribbling down her observations as they walked. "The rings, the motion... it's beautiful. My readers will be entranced.”

Finnegan, always alert and ready, kept a close eye on their surroundings. His hand instinctively moved closer to his side. Dellen wondered if he was holding a hidden weapon. "I've never seen anything like it.”

“How is it you know where we’re going?” Aurora asked Dellen.

Gilgamesh laughed, “This does look suspicious. You should have asked for directions.”

Dellen decided to dissemble, “I assume you asked for directions, captain?”

“I did.”

“Do you think I’m leading us the right way?”

Aurora frowned at him, “I do. I just don’t understand how.”

Eliza interrupted their little competition, “We don’t have time to stand here while the two of you argue,” she turned to Dellen, “I want answers out of you later, but for now, I just want to reach the institute.”

Dellen nodded, and maintained his lead, he kept walking, following Gilgamesh’s directions. A few crossroads later, they reached the remarkably underwhelming Aetherweave Institute, it was a squat building with worn and peeling paint, rusted metal, and cracked windows, and its name above the door.

“Here?”