The vessel approached the seaport of Eldoria at a moderate pace. Leo and Taren ran to the main deck and stood by the railings alongside other civilians, watching Eldoria rise from the horizon.

The vessels let out a booming, trumpet-like sound as they docked at the seaport.

As the echoes faded, a heavy silence settled over the deck, broken only by the frantic crying of gulls and the distant chanting of dockworkers.

The seaport of Eldoria was a marvel of architecture and power. Massive cranes, powered by glowing blue crystals, swung through the air like the limbs of giants, lifting entire crates of supplies from the smaller trade ships. The docks themselves were made of a pale, reinforced stone that seemed to glow in the late afternoon sun.

Every few hundred yards, a defensive tower stood guard, its ballistae pointed out toward the blue ocean.

"It’s too still," Leo muttered. After a week of his world tilting and swaying, the absolute stability of the pier was almost disorienting. His inner ear was still trying to compensate for waves that were no longer there.

"That’s called being on solid ground, Leo," Taren joked, though his eyes were darting nervously across the crowd of armored officials waiting below.

The gangplanks began to drop with a heavy sound along the length of the vessel. The maritime officers, dressed in crisp white and navy uniforms, began barking orders to the refugees.

"Keep moving! Refugees move to the building to your left! Civilians to the primary processing tents! Merchants to the Customs Bureau!"

Leo watched as the first wave of people began to trickle down the wood and onto the stone. These were the people who had lost everything, homes, family, and businesses. They looked haggard, their clothes stained with salt and their eyes wide with a mixture of relief and terror.

"Leo!"

He turned to see Fang Rui walking toward them. He was now wearing black leather armor with its cloak billowing despite the lack of a breeze. The Demon of Shadows looked perfectly at home in the chaos, his sharp eyes already scanning the layout of the port.

"Don’t just stand there staring like a tourist. You already know the nooks and crannies of Eldoria," Fang Rui said, his voice cutting through the noise. "The Royal Escort is already at the gates. If you want to avoid being processed like a common deckhand, follow me. I don’t think the Atlantis family will appreciate you being cleared as a commoner after a rough war. Not like I care, of course."

Leo adjusted his tunic, his jaw tightening, and he decided to give Fang Rui zero replies. The transition was happening faster than he expected. He looked at the ivory spires in the distance, then back at the stone pier.

"Let’s go, Taren," Leo said, his voice hardening.

He stepped onto the gangplank. When his boots finally hit the stone of the seaport, he didn’t stumble. He stood tall, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.

The seaport was a sea of bodies. Thousands of refugees from the Awakening City, merchants from other countries, and various other people were being funneled through narrow corridors formed by iron railings.

"Stay close, Leo," Taren whispered, bumping his shoulder to keep him from being swept away by a group of dockworkers hauling massive crates of grain.

As they pushed through the crowd, the sheer scale of the city’s activity was overwhelming. Eldoria was the gateway to the entire Northern Hemisphere. Because of its unique geography and the massive natural harbor, it served as the primary transit point for dozens of other northern nations. If a merchant from the Frost-Bound Isles or the Iron Duchy wanted to trade with the South, they had to pass through these very gates.

The streets leading away from the docks were lined with multi-story buildings made of pale limestone, their balconies draped with the blue and silver banners of the Atlantis family. Rich merchants in silk robes rubbed shoulders with scarred mercenaries and weary travelers, all moving with a frantic energy that made the Awakening City look like a sleepy village.

Fang Rui didn’t slow down for the crowd. He moved through the gaps like a shadow, and people instinctively stepped out of his way when they saw the black leather armor and the cold look in his eyes.

They reached the main gate of the port in a matter of five minutes. A squad of Royal Guards stood in a line, their silver breastplates gleaming. Beyond them, parked in a cleared circle, sat a chariot that looked like it had been carved from a single block of obsidian.

Harnessed to the chariot were four unicorns. They were magnificent, predatory-looking creatures with coats as white as fresh snow and large, feathered wings tucked tightly against their muscular flanks.

"Get in," Fang Rui commanded, gesturing toward the carriage.

Leo looked at the chariot and then at the bustling city streets beyond the gate. He had been to Eldoria’s main counterparts countless times, but part of him still desperately wanted to disappear into that crowd and enjoy the view after what he had gone through before and after awakening.

But he knew better.

"I guess the sightseeing has to wait," Leo muttered to Taren.

They climbed into the chariot, the leather seats feeling incredibly soft after a week of sleeping on wooden bunks. As soon as they were settled, the two Royal Guards climbed into the rider’s seat and prompted the unicorns to move.

The unicorns let out a synchronized bray, and their wings unfurled with a sound like snapping sails. With a sudden, powerful surge that pushed Leo back into his seat, the chariot bolted forward. They flew upward into the skies.

Below them, Eldoria shrank into a beautiful, sprawling map of stone and light. Leo watched the harbor vanish, replaced by the sight of the ivory spires passing by at eye level.

The chariot continued to fly higher until they were surrounded by foamy clouds and a blue sky that was illuminated by the red glow of the crimson orb.

Leo hissed. "...Worst awakening ever..."