The carriage eased to a halt, its levitation runes dimming with a low hum as they arrived at the heart of the upper city.
Aurelian stepped down into the center of what the locals called Virelan Square—a vast, open plaza paved in pale silverstone that shimmered faintly beneath the mana-infused sky. Tall crystalline spires ringed the space, casting refracted hues of soft gold and lilac across the cobbles. The square pulsed with energy, the sheer press of people making the air feel alive.
