Adelasta followed behind Epsilon V and Eta XXVI without saying much. The further inland they walked, the stranger the island became. The coastline slowly gave way to smooth stone roads carved with circular patterns that strangely resembled soundwaves more than ordinary architecture. Even the air felt oddly calm, carrying faint sounds she could not fully explain.
The white buildings soon came into view properly. Their designs were decorated with symbols Adelasta had never seen before. Thin towers stretched toward the sky while strange metallic ornaments hung from rooftops, swaying gently in the ocean breeze and producing soft chimes whenever the wind touched them. Nothing here resembled any civilization in Spheraphase.
Eventually, they arrived before a massive gate built into towering white walls stretching farther than Adelasta could immediately see. Two colossal statues stood beside the entrance. Each of them was several stories tall and shaped like armored warriors holding enormous lances. Their expressions remained emotionless yet something about them felt alive.
Adelasta immediately narrowed her eyes. The moment Epsilon V stepped forward, both statues moved.
Stone groaned quietly as the gigantic figures slowly lowered their massive lances, crossing them before the entrance. Strange silver symbols lit across the weapons before fading moments later. Then, without anyone saying a word, the statues lifted their lances again and allowed passage. Adelasta stared slightly longer than she intended.
"Interesting."
Eta XXVI smiled proudly.
"This is one of the five Praesidium Limitare in Concerto."
Adelasta glanced at her.
"The what?"
Eta quickly corrected herself.
"A border post. That's what Praesidium Limitare means in Spheran."
The moment they passed through the gates, Adelasta finally saw what lay inside.
Wide streets were created between elegant white buildings while bridges crossed over flowing streams lined with silver plants she did not recognize. People moved everywhere, though they looked surprisingly peaceful compared to what Adelasta was used to seeing. There were no visible soldiers patrolling, no tension in the air and no sense of fear.
Children ran through plazas laughing while adults casually conversed near market stalls. Small groups sat together drinking something warm while discussing things she could not understand. Others worked quietly in workshops where sounds unlike anything Adelasta had heard echoed rhythmically into the streets.
What caught Adelasta's attention most were the instruments.
She saw massive circular metal structures suspended from stands that produced deep ringing sounds whenever struck. Others carried smaller hand instruments shaped strangely, producing rhythmic patterns she had never heard before. Some looked vaguely familiar but others were entirely alien in design.
One person carefully struck polished metallic bowls floating in the air, creating harmonic vibrations that somehow made a deep sound. Another used strange suspended plates of crystal-like material that shimmered whenever they were touched.
"What are those?"
Eta XXVI immediately perked up.
"Oh. Those are Musicum instruments."
She pointed proudly toward several nearby performers.
"Our Musicum Talentum falls into the Percussion class. That means most people here specialize in rhythm, impact and temporal vibration."
One nearby blacksmith-like workshop caught her attention next. Except instead of forging metal through ordinary methods, people used rhythmic strikes from instruments to shape glowing materials into finished objects. Even merchants looked unusual.
Instead of shouting over one another like normal markets, many communicated normally. Customers moved calmly between stalls selling instruments, shimmering ornaments and strange food wrapped carefully in pale leaves.
"If this is an island, why exactly do you need border posts?"
Epsilon V glanced at her as he explained.
"Because Concerto is divided into five regions. Strings, Woodwinds, Brass, Percussion, and Keyboards. The Strings Regio lies at the center. It acts as our administrative and political heart. We are from the Percussion Regio. The Praesidium Limitare exists because movement between regions is monitored. Every Regio governs itself differently. As an outsider, you will need to meet our leader first."
"Then?"
"Then we'll likely arrange transport to the Strings Regio. That is our headquarters."
"I have questions."
Epsilon V smiled politely.
"I expected that. They will be answered by the leader."
They continued walking through the Praesidium Limitare for several more minutes before eventually arriving at a large circular structure positioned near the center of the district. Unlike the elegant white buildings surrounding it, this one looked older and more ceremonial, covered in strange symbols arranged in spiraling patterns around its walls. Large metallic rings floated around the roof, rotating silently despite no visible mechanism keeping them suspended. Even from outside, Adelasta could feel faint spatial fluctuations radiating from within.
The moment they stepped inside, Adelasta immediately understood what it was.
The center of the structure housed a massive circular platform surrounded by white pillars carved with glowing inscriptions. Strange vibrations moved through the air, almost resembling invisible waves of sound. Eta XXVI stepped onto the platform naturally while Epsilon V motioned for Adelasta to follow without concern.
"It only connects places inside Concerto. You won't explode or anything."
The platform activated moments later. The world around them twisted softly.
Unlike the violent darkness of the black portal, this transition felt strangely smooth and peaceful. It resembled being carried gently through flowing water rather than dragged forcefully through space. Then, after only a few seconds, solid ground returned beneath her feet.
When Adela opened her eyes, they stood somewhere entirely different.
The area around them looked calmer than before, quieter and far more residential. Elegant homes stretched neatly along smooth white roads lined with silver trees whose leaves shimmered softly whenever the wind touched them. Small streams flowed between neighborhoods while bridges arched gracefully overhead. Unlike the livelier district earlier, almost everything here felt peaceful.
People still moved around but they were too quiet. Nobody shouted. Nobody argued. Even children somehow remained calm.
"This is the city of the Percussion Regio," Epsilon V explained while walking ahead. "The central district."
Adela glanced around again before something enormous caught her attention. A giant statue towered over the district several streets away, standing tall enough to dominate the skyline completely. The statue depicted a man holding a strange instrument unlike anything she had seen before. His expression looked calm but powerful.
"What's that?"
Eta XXVI looked immediately excited.
"Oh. That's one of the Five Great Heroes. He helped lead us to victory against the First Generation Deities."
Adela slowed down.
"First Generation Deities?"
Eta XXVI nodded casually.
"Our Percussion Hero taught our ancestors how to use Musicum Talentum."
That phrase made Adela pause completely.
"Wait. Do either of you know about the Destras Cataclysm?"
Eta XXVI blinked once.
"Oh. You mean the First World War?"
Epsilon V gave a small nod.
"Yes. Though that is not the name we use."
Eta XXVI continued.
"Our hero led the Percussion Musicum during the war. He taught everyone how to wield their abilities properly so they could resist the First Generation Deities."
If they knew about the Destras Cataclysm—no, the First World War—then this realm was far more connected to Spheraphase than she initially thought. Severed ties or not, there had once been history between them, which meant this place was not some isolated random dimension.
The three continued walking.. Soon, the peaceful atmosphere became stranger. At first, Adela thought it was simply discipline but then she realized something unsettling.
People walked nearby. Groups stood together. Conversations happened and yet there was almost no sound, voices, laughter or footsteps. Even the city itself seemed muted. The deeper they moved into the district, the more unnatural the silence became until eventually they arrived before a gigantic palace-like structure rising above everything else nearby.
White stone dominated every visible surface while enormous pillars framed the entrance. Decorative silver patterns spread across the walls, though somehow the building looked less like a royal palace and more like a sacred sanctuary.
People moved nearby. Servants walked. Guards stood watch and yet nobody made noise, not even footsteps.
Several guards standing near the entrance noticed her arrival immediately. They wore elegant white armor decorated with silver rings around their shoulders. Despite carrying no obvious weapons, something about them felt disciplined enough to be dangerous.
They looked at Epsilon V and Eta XXVI. The guards exchanged several glances. One gave a slight nod and another responded. They were using telepathic connections That was why the city felt so silent. Everyone here was speaking mentally.
One guard finally motioned politely towards the palace entrance. Eta XXVI gave her an encouraging nod. Epsilon V did the same and this time, neither of them spoke. Apparently, this far inside the district, even normal speech became uncommon.
Adela silently followed the guards inside and realized that the palace interior matched the outside completely. The floors were white stone polished so perfectly they reflected light softly beneath her feet. The walls, pillars, ceilings, decorations and sculptures all carried varying shades of white or pale silver. Even the atmosphere somehow felt clean, untouched by age or imperfection.
White clearly dominated this place. It almost felt symbolic.
The hallways stretched elegantly around pools of flowing water while faint music drifted from somewhere distant, soft enough to barely exist. Unlike Spheraphasian architecture, nothing here looked defensive or imposing. Instead, everything felt calming.
Eventually, the guards stopped. Before them stood a large open hall. At its center rested a perfectly circular pool of crystal-clear water. Elegant white pillars surrounded the room while soft sunlight filtered through openings above, illuminating the area gently.
A woman stood near the water. She turned slowly the moment Adela entered. The guards bowed once their eyes met. The woman nodded once toward them before her attention shifted fully onto Adela. She looked older than Epsilon V but still youthful, carrying long pale blond hair tied elegantly behind her back. Her white robes carried silver embroidery more elaborate than anyone Adela had seen so far, marking clear authority.
"Salve," the woman said smoothly before switching to flawless Spheran. "I suppose introductions would be easier this way."
She placed one hand lightly over her chest.
"I am Delta II, Leader of the Percussion Regio. And I must admit, I did not expect to see a Spheraphasian here."