The capital's eastern gate was already bustling when Nathan arrived.
The city woke in its usual rhythm of commuters flooding sidewalks in neat, hurried streams, buses groaning through traffic, mana engines humming beneath combustion growls. Billboards flickered with ads for guild recruitment drives and the latest Tower-clearing gear. A news feed scrolled across a public display: TCA Announces New Safety Protocols for Outer Region Towers and Goldcrest Climber Reaches Floor 40 of Master Class Tower. The world moved, as always, indifferent to any single Climber's journey.
Nathan's party gathered near the guild transport depot. Elise arrived first, she was always on time, with a pack slung over her shoulder. She distributed the contents within: four cloaks, lightweight and silver-grey, their fabric shimmering faintly with embedded enchantment. The material felt cool against Nathan's fingers despite the morning warmth.
