Silvermere was loud.
That was the first thing Luciana noticed.
Not unpleasantly loud, but alive in a way Cresent Roseville had never been.
The moment the merchant wagon passed through the enormous city gates, she found herself turning from one side to another, trying to take everything in at once.
Merchants called out from their stalls, horses pulled loaded wagons through the crowded streets, and adventurers walked past with weapons strapped to their backs.
Mages in long robes hurried between shops while children darted through the crowd, their parents calling after them.
Somewhere nearby, two people were having a very serious argument over the price of potatoes.
Luciana stared at the scene.
“This is a lot.”
Alex laughed from the front of the carriage.
“I thought you’d say that.”
She had barely finished taking in the street when another wagon passed them, carrying several enormous purple mushrooms.
Luciana pointed.
“What are those?”
“Ingredients,” Alex answered.
“For what?”
“Medicine, cooking, sometimes magic.”
Her eyes followed the wagon until it disappeared around the corner.
“Everything here is strange.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I don’t think I will.”
Sara smiled from beside Alex.
“That might be part of the fun.”
Alex guided the wagon through the outer market district while explaining what he knew about the city.
Silvermere was one of the busiest cities in the region, attracting merchants, travelers, adventurers, craftsmen, and mages from many different places.
The markets were spread across several districts, while inns and shops filled the streets closer to the center.
Luciana listened carefully, although she soon realized there was no chance of remembering everything.
There were simply too many things competing for her attention.
A shop displayed glowing stones behind its windows.
A fruit vendor had produce she had never seen before.
A strange little creature wearing a leather harness walked beside its owner, looking almost like a cat until Luciana noticed the tiny horns above its ears.
She turned around so quickly that she nearly lost her balance.
“What was that?”
Sara laughed.
“A companion beast.”
“It looked like a cat.”
“It was a moon lynx.”
Luciana blinked.
“That was a cat?”
“A very magical cat.”
That answer seemed to satisfy her.
At least for now.
Eventually, the wagon stopped near a large market square while Alex and Sara began unloading several crates.
“You can explore the nearby stalls if you want,” Sara told her.
“Just stay close enough that you can find your way back.”
Luciana glanced toward the maze of streets.
“I can do that.”
She took a few steps before turning around.
“Which way is close?”
Alex laughed.
“Anywhere you find interesting.”
“That isn’t helpful.”
“Then start with the food stalls.”
Luciana’s expression immediately brightened.
“Now that’s useful advice.”
Sara shook her head with an amused smile as Luciana disappeared into the crowd.
The first stall caught her attention because of the fruit.
Some were completely unfamiliar.
One was bright orange with tiny blue spots, another was shaped almost like a star, and a third had a faint glow beneath its skin.
Luciana picked up the glowing fruit and examined it carefully.
“What does this taste like?”
The old vendor smiled.
“Sweet.”
“Anything else?”
“That depends on your magic.”
Luciana immediately put it back.
“…I’ll start with normal fruit.”
The vendor laughed.
Sara, who had caught up with her, shook her head.
“You don’t have to be afraid of everything magical.”
“I’m not afraid.
I’m being careful.”
“You looked terrified.”
“It was glowing!”
“That doesn’t make it dangerous.”
Luciana considered this for a moment.
“Maybe.
But I’d rather not discover whether it’s dangerous by eating it.”
Sara laughed.
The vendor eventually gave Luciana a sample of a red berry that looked perfectly ordinary.
She took a bite and immediately bought a small bag.
Then she noticed a basket of golden fruit.
“What are those?”
“Sunpears.”
“Can I try one?”
The vendor handed one to her.
Luciana took a bite.
Her eyes widened.
“Oh.”
Sara smiled.
“Good?”
“Very.”
She bought three.
The market seemed endless.
There were stalls selling clothing, jewelry, herbs, weapons, books, magical tools, household goods, and countless objects Luciana couldn’t identify.
She stopped in front of a small shop displaying crystal charms.
One crystal was shaped like a bird.
Another resembled a tiny moon, while a third held a flickering blue light inside.
Luciana leaned closer.
“What do these do?”
The elderly shopkeeper explained that they could be used for simple things such as light, minor healing, protection, storage, and communication.
“Communication?”
The shopkeeper lifted a pair of matching crystals.
“Two matching crystals can be used to send short messages.”
Luciana immediately thought of Cresent Roseville.
“That would be useful.”
Sara noticed the change in her expression.
“You’re thinking about home.”
Luciana nodded.
“It would be nice to tell Grandma Martha that I’m safe.”
“Then perhaps you should buy them.”
Luciana checked the money in her pouch.
She had enough, so after a moment of hesitation, she bought the pair and carefully packed them away.
One day, she would send a message home.
She couldn’t wait to tell Grandma Martha about everything she had seen.
Well…
Maybe not everything.
She had a feeling Grandma Martha wouldn’t appreciate hearing about dragons.
Sara then led her toward another street filled with magical shops.
Luciana nearly walked into her when she suddenly stopped to stare at a shop window.
Dozens of books were floating behind the glass.
She stared for several seconds.
“Books are floating.”
“Yes.”
“Books shouldn’t float.”
Sara shrugged.
“In Silvermere, apparently they can.”
Luciana continued staring.
“I like this city.”
Sara laughed.
“You’ve been here for less than a day.”
“And?”
“You’re already attached.”
“It’s interesting.”
“That much is obvious.”
They eventually reached a large building marked by a sword crossed with a shield.
Luciana stopped so abruptly that Sara almost walked into her.
“The adventurer’s guild?”
Sara followed her gaze and nodded.
“That’s the one.”
Luciana stared at the entrance.
People were constantly coming and going.
Some carried weapons, others had heavy packs filled with gathered materials, and one adventurer walked beside an enormous wolf-like creature.
Luciana leaned slightly closer.
“Is that another magical beast?”
“Yes.”
“Can I touch it?”
Sara immediately caught her shoulder.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because you don’t touch strange creatures without asking.”
Luciana nodded reluctantly.
“That makes sense.”
The wolf-like creature suddenly turned toward her.
Its ears lifted as it studied Luciana from across the street.
She watched it just as carefully.
After a few seconds, its tail moved once.
Luciana smiled.
“See?
It likes me.”
Sara laughed.
“You’re impossible.”
By late afternoon, Luciana’s feet had begun protesting again.
She looked down at them with betrayal in her expression.
“You were fine yesterday.”
Sara laughed.
“You spent half the day walking around the market.”
“I thought cities were supposed to make traveling easier.”
“They make finding things easier.
They don’t make walking disappear.”
Luciana sighed.
“That feels unfair.”
“Come on.
Alex should be finished soon.”
They made their way back toward the market district, and Luciana couldn’t help turning around to look at the streets they had passed.
She had barely explored a fraction of Silvermere.
There were still entire districts she hadn’t seen, shops she hadn’t entered, and places she hadn’t even heard about yet.
She smiled to herself.
“I think I’ll need a few days.”
Sara laughed.
“Probably more than a few.”
By evening, Alex had finished his deliveries.
The three of them walked to a nearby inn, where the warm common room was filled with travelers.
Music played near the fireplace, conversations blended together, and the smell of roasted meat made Luciana’s stomach immediately announce that it had been neglected.
Alex noticed.
“Hungry?”
“Yes.”
Sara laughed.
“Of course.”
They found a table near the window and ordered dinner.
While they waited, Luciana watched the city outside.
Silvermere remained busy even after sunset.
Lanterns illuminated the streets, magical lights floated above several buildings, and people continued moving through the city as though night had barely begun.
It was nothing like Cresent Roseville.
Yet Luciana didn’t feel frightened.
She felt curious.
Excited.
For the first time, she could look at a place and know that she had only seen the beginning.
“I wonder what tomorrow will bring.”
Alex smiled.
“You haven’t even explored the city center yet.”
Luciana looked at him.
“There is more?”
“A lot more.”
Her eyes brightened.
“Then tomorrow is going to be fun.”
Far across Silvermere, on a quiet balcony overlooking the city, Raizen stood beneath the night sky.
He already knew Luciana had arrived.
He had sensed her the moment she crossed the city gates.
Her awakening was still faint, but after a thousand years, he knew the feeling of her soul.
His gaze settled toward the distant market district.
She was there.
Safe.
Laughing.
Exploring.
Most likely eating.
A faint softness touched his expression.
He had spent so long imagining her return that reality felt strangely simple.
She was simply living.
And for now, he was simply watching.
There was only one problem.
He needed a reason to meet her.
A natural one.
If he appeared before her without explanation, she would have questions.
Who was he?
Why had he been watching her?
How could a stranger possibly know anything about her?
He couldn’t give her those answers.
Not yet.
Raizen looked across the city thoughtfully.
Silvermere was large enough to offer countless possibilities.
He could arrange a chance encounter, cross her path somewhere she was likely to visit, or simply wait and allow circumstances to bring them together.
Forcing the meeting would be easy.
Making it natural would require patience.
After waiting a thousand years, perhaps patience was the one thing he had plenty of.
“Not yet.”
His voice disappeared into the night.
“Take your time, Luciana.”
Back at the inn, Luciana was already asleep.
Her first day in Silvermere had exhausted her completely.
Her travel bag rested beside the bed, containing the little things she had collected throughout the day: unfamiliar fruit, communication crystals, her map, and the small silver rose she had carried from Cresent Roseville.
Outside the window, Silvermere continued glowing beneath the night sky.
A new city.
A new beginning.
And a world much larger than Luciana had ever imagined.
Tomorrow, she would begin discovering it properly.