The shrine's arch hummed with stabilized power, the keystone gem glowing like a captive star. The image of the Crossroads swirled — a dizzying array of floating platforms, interconnected bridges, and countless doors hovering in a starlit void.
"Ready?" Echo asked, his pack slung over his shoulder.
Leyla nodded, her tail twitching with nervous energy. Mira placed a hand on the arch, her spatial senses reaching out. "It's stable. It'll hold."
They stepped through.
The sensation was not of movement, but of reconfiguration. For a heartbeat, Echo felt his atoms being scanned, categorized, and translated. His Error-Sight blazed with data-streams — immigration protocols, dimensional quarantine filters, hidden defense arrays.
Then, solid ground beneath his feet.
They stood on a wide, clean platform of pale blue stone, under an artificial sky shimmering with holographic constellations. Around them, beings of every conceivable shape and physiology moved with purpose: a scaled dragon-kin arguing with a crystalline energy-being, a group of armored humans with tech-implants, even a floating orb of singing light.
This was the Crossroads Central Arrival Platform.
A smooth, genderless voice echoed in their minds, translated instantly:
"New arrivals from World-Beta-Seven-Seven-Four, designated 'Beast Prime.' Welcome to the Crossroads Neutral Hub. Please proceed to Immigration for registration and threat assessment."
A floating guide-orb blinked into existence before them. "Follow, please."
They were led to a vast, open hall where lines formed before crystalline consoles. Their guide-orb scanned each of them in turn.
"Leyla of the Silvermane Clan. Beast-kin. Bloodline Awakened: Moonstalker Panther — Stage 1. Threat Level: Low. Assignment eligible."
"Mira of Whisperwood Refuge. Human variant. Bloodline Awakened: World-Walker — Stage 1. Threat Level: Low. Assignment eligible."
Then it hovered before Echo. The scan took longer. The orb flickered.
"Designation: Echo. Species: Human variant… Anomaly. Error. Re-scanning."
Echo held his breath. His Charm hummed subtly, not to attract, but to obscure. To make the system see him as slightly less noteworthy.
The orb flickered again. "Scan inconclusive. Registered as 'Human – Unascended.' Threat Level: Neutral. Observation recommended."
It assigned them each a wrist-band — a sleek, metallic band that wrapped around their forearms. "These are your ident-tags, credit chips, and system interfaces. Do not lose them."
Information flooded their minds through the bands:
The Crossroads served as a neutral hub, trading post, and diplomatic ground for hundreds of worlds.
But its most famous institution was the Aethelgard Academy — a multiversal military and arcane academy created by the alliance of Ordered worlds to train champions against the Corrupted Legion.
Students earned Aethel Points (AP) by completing missions, studying, or killing Corrupted forces. AP could be exchanged for resources, training, gear, and even access to restricted knowledge.
Rule One of the Crossroads: No open warfare. Violators are erased by the Hub's automated defenses.
Rule Two: The Academy is voluntary, but all capable beings are encouraged to enlist in the multiversal defense.
"An academy," Mira whispered, her eyes wide. "A place to learn… to understand my bloodline."
Leyla's claws retracted. "They train you to fight the Corrupted. This is where we get stronger."
Echo nodded. This was perfect. A structured environment to grow, hidden in a crowd of warriors from across reality. But he had to be careful. The scan had almost flagged him as an "Anomaly." The Academy's deeper scans would be more thorough.
His wrist-band pinged.
A message from Kiera, relayed through the Crossroads' mercantile network:
"Find the Silk-Petal Pavilion. Ask for 'Fen.' She will help you navigate the Academy's entry trials. Keep your nature quiet. Not everyone here fights for Order."