Immense metallic structures floated in the sky—some two hundred fifty, maybe three hundred of them—so many that they partially concealed the star-filled heavens. They reminded Nova of the alien ships he had once seen in a futuristic movie.
The most eye-catching of them all was the ship hovering over the center of the radiant city: the largest by far, nearly the size of Luminaris itself. It had a triangular shape, like an inverted, flattened pyramid. On the underside of its hull, dozens of metallic cables and antennas pointed toward the ground—and across its surface were structures resembling houses, illuminated by golden windows.
Turning his attention back to the city, which was far larger than the ship above it, Nova saw that it was surrounded by massive walls roughly sixty to seventy meters tall, stretching outward until they faded into the horizon. From within those walls rose buildings that far exceeded their height. Roads connected the five massive entrances—openings in the walls highlighted by cables and lights—to the city's interior.
Along the roads were straight neon signs shaped like arrows, squares, and circles. On top of that, futuristic and dystopian vehicles moved in all directions. All of them resembled the ships above—varying in shape and size, piloted by different kinds of beings. Some vehicles had wheels, others floated above the stone streets bathed in neon light. There were even motorcycles shaped like massive single wheels, others with front crystals acting as windshields, and the most ordinary ones looked similar to the motorcycles from Nova's world.
Everything followed a cybernetic aesthetic: futuristic, yet dystopian. From the city rose massive pillars of light that vanished into the clouds, as if they were nothing more than decorations in the sky.
Nova stood there with his mouth slightly open. He glanced toward the mountains, wondering how simple rock formations could have hidden such a colossal metallic behemoth.
'What the hell is this?!'
His calm shattered when the Spectrum of Anticipation took over. Just by looking at the city, its new energy made him paranoid—his mind began imagining what might be waiting inside. Could it be a race of civilized Aberrations? Even if that possibility existed, entering still felt far too dangerous.
As expected, the source of energy within that city…
'No way… the damn asteroid is in there.'
The faint pulses of Calem Energy came from the heart of the metallic colossus, brushing against Nova's soul like an enigmatic winter breeze.
He couldn't think of anything else—it was madness. Normally, Aberrations were savage. A few rare ones were more civilized, wielding strange weapons and even speaking languages incomprehensible to humans, but if there was one thing that united almost all of them, it was their deep hatred toward humanity.
'So what now? Do I really dare to enter the city? I mean, they don't seem as savage as other Aberrations, but… what the hell is up with those damn ships?! Are they from other planets or what?!'
Was this the product of a civilization far more advanced than that of early humanity? The question was almost pointless—the answer was right before his eye.
He took a deep breath and let his Serenity aura take control. The Attenuate skill crushed the emotions in his heart until they went silent—his eye dulled, and logic ruled his mind.
'Wait. First, I need to think. If the energy source is inside the city, that means a portal could open outside of it.'
It wasn't such a far-fetched idea. However, the energy in this world was extremely weak compared to the desert world or Terra. Opening a portal required a massive concentration of energy, which was why, in his world, it was possible to detect one in advance. That was the problem here—the energy was so faint that the portal he arrived through had likely taken years to form.
With that in mind, he sat on a nearby rock and observed the immensity of the metallic colossus.
'No… I was lucky that a portal even opened in a world with energy this weak. If I want to move forward quickly, I'll have to enter the city—but I don't know what I'll find inside.'
Standing before the city, Nova looked smaller than an ant.
In the dim sky that hid its stars, a streak of crimson light descended—its glow fading as it approached the gigantic ship at the center. It was another vessel.
The scenery was strange—almost hypnotic—but the feeling it gave Nova was confusing. It felt like a lonely city and, at the same time, one overflowing with life—a contradiction he couldn't explain.
Even with his limited depth perception, his eye could tell just how insignificant he was compared to this place.
'If I go in there… will I have a chance to return home?'
His gaze dropped to the ground. Memories of his friends and family passed through his eye.
'Go back home… with them. I've never felt like this before,' he thought, looking at his hand. A distant memory surfaced—blood staining his skin. 'This is the first time I've felt emotions this intense. Maybe I'm finally starting to understand what my mother told me that day.'
He closed his eye, focusing on his desire: to return home, to reunite with his family and friends. Then he opened it again, staring at the city with determination. He stood up.
'Alright. I've decided.'
He took a step forward and wrapped himself in the cloak he had found in the desert.
'I'm done wasting time.'
The longer he stayed in one world, the more his return home would be delayed. Time was the most valuable thing he had now. That was why he approached the edge of the mountain—it was still very high, but there was no time for fear.
'Mom… everyone… I'll come back. I swear I will.'
He jumped into the void. Drawing his sword, he drove it into the cliffside rock to partially slow his fall. Using the sole of his boot, he slid along the surface until he lost enough speed.
Minutes later, he was already running toward one of the massive entrances in the wall.