The road descended slowly between gentle hills until it fully revealed the city before us.
We stopped for a moment at the top of the last rise. From there, it was possible to see everything clearly.
The Arcane City.
Even from a distance, it was evident that this place was different from any other I had ever visited.
Giant towers rose above the walls, some so tall they seemed to touch the clouds. Many had metallic structures rotating around their tops, while others were surrounded by rings of light that moved slowly through the air.
Mana flowed everywhere.
It could be felt.
Not like wind or heat, but like a constant presence in the environment.
Lyannis was the first to break the silence.
"So this is the famous place."
Rai'kanna crossed her arms as she observed the city.
"Doesn't look very safe."
Liriel ignored the comment. Her eyes shone as she analyzed the distant towers.
"The architecture is incredible."
Elara nodded slowly.
"Each of those towers probably functions as a center for magical study or research."
Vespera simply continued observing in silence.
We descended the hill and followed the main road.
As we got closer, the movement began to increase. Travelers appeared from all sides. Some walked alone carrying books and scrolls. Others were in small groups discussing theories or spells.
Most wore long robes.
Some carried staffs or staves with glowing crystals at the tip.
It was easy to tell that many of them were mages.
The city wall finally rose before us.
It was enormous.
Dark stones formed the main structure, but what drew the most attention were the runes engraved along its entire length.
Ancient symbols that glowed softly.
Liriel moved a bit closer to the wall and observed carefully.
"Protection runes."
Elara analyzed the markings.
"Not just protection. They also serve to detect magical threats."
Lyannis looked at the top of the wall.
"So basically no one gets in here unnoticed."
Rai'kanna gave a slight smile.
"Makes sense for a city full of mages."
We passed through the gates shortly after.
Guards dressed in light armor observed each traveler carefully. Some carried spears, but many also had small amulets hanging around their necks.
Probably magical artifacts.
As soon as we crossed the main gate, the city opened up before us.
For a few seconds, I just stood there observing.
The streets were wide and well organized. The ground was made of light stone, but between them were thin lines forming complex patterns.
Arcane circles.
Some of them glowed faintly as mana circulated through the streets.
Lyannis noticed it at the same time I did.
"Look at this."
She pointed to the ground.
"The city itself has active magic."
Elara agreed.
"Probably to facilitate spellcasting or maintain certain systems."
We continued walking.
The shops along the street were completely different from what we were used to seeing in other cities.
Instead of common weapons or heavy armor, the displays showed strange objects.
Colored crystals.
Rings engraved with symbols.
Small flasks containing glowing liquids.
Some merchants demonstrated artifacts right in front of their shops.
In one of them, a man made small spheres of fire float above his palm while explaining something to two attentive apprentices.
Further ahead, a woman manipulated strands of blue energy that spun in the air like invisible ropes.
Liriel observed everything with curiosity.
"I've never seen so many mages in one place."
Lyannis let out a small laugh.
"Here it looks like everyone is a mage."
Rai'kanna walked with her usual calm posture, but her eyes remained alert around her.
Vespera stayed a few steps behind us, analyzing rooftops and nearby alleys.
It was a habit she never abandoned.
We followed the main street for a few minutes.
The further we went, the more impressive the city became.
Some towers were connected by suspended walkways made of transparent crystal. In other places, circular platforms floated slowly between tall buildings.
Mages used these platforms to move from one place to another.
Lyannis watched one of them pass slowly above the street.
"I definitely want to try that later."
Elara smiled slightly.
"Maybe."
Further ahead, we found a small square.
At its center, several young people were openly training magic.
Some conjured small gusts of wind.
Others created controlled flames.
There was even a boy trying to keep three spheres of water spinning around his head.
Most of them still made mistakes, but no one seemed to mind.
Liriel observed for a few seconds.
"Public training."
Elara nodded.
"Here, learning seems to be part of daily life."
Lyannis crossed her arms.
"If this were in Vailor, half the city would already be complaining."
Rai'kanna laughed quietly.
"Probably."
We continued walking through the city.
Every street revealed something new.
One shop sold rare scrolls.
Another offered small magical creatures inside crystal cages.
We also passed by a massive library whose entrance had two giant statues holding stone books.
The magical energy in that place was constant.
Impossible to ignore.
After some time, we stopped again on a quieter street.
I looked around.
The Arcane City truly was different from anything I had ever seen.
Here, magic wasn't just a tool.
It was part of the very structure of the city.
Lyannis looked at me.
"So."
"This is the place where we're going to learn how to control your mana."
Rai'kanna put her hands in her pockets.
"Or find out that you're even stranger than we thought."
Liriel ignored the comment.
"The important thing is that we finally arrived."
Elara was observing one of the distant towers.
"Somewhere in this city lives Aurelius Valemorth."
The archmage who had agreed to receive us.
I took a deep breath.
After the entire journey, we were finally there.
In the heart of the City of Mages.
And our true reason for being there would begin the next day.