The runes on the archway pulsed brighter, each glyph burning with silver fire. The air rippled, heavy and charged, until the cracks of light burst outward and a whirling portal unfurled in the stone frame.
Jayden's lips curved into a grin.
"Well, well. Looks like fate left us a door."
Jordan took a step back, shaking his head. "We shouldn't. Selora—"
"Selora isn't here," Jayden cut in, his scythe's absence no less menacing than his voice. "You want answers about why you were in my dream? Why we're tangled up in this mess? Maybe they're waiting on the other side. Or…" His grin widened. "Maybe you're just scared."
Jordan's chest tightened. The memory of death's promise still echoed in his bones. But his curiosity warred with his fear, and beneath Jayden's taunts was something undeniable: the portal called to him.
Jayden extended a hand toward the glowing archway.
"Come on, Walker. Let's see where it leads."
The pull was irresistible. Against reason, against instinct, Jordan stepped beside his brother — though he didn't yet know him as such. Together, they crossed the threshold.
Light swallowed them. For an instant, there was nothing but weightless void and the rush of falling stars. Then, with a lurch, they stumbled onto solid ground.
The air here was different — crisp, vibrant, alive. They stood in a wide stone plaza surrounded by arching gateways of crystal and marble. Strange flora glowed faintly along the edges, and statues of the twelve Zodians loomed in solemn silence, their eyes flickering with ethereal fire.
But what caught Jordan's breath was not the architecture — it was the life.
Crowds surged through the plaza, a river of motion. Merchants shouted from stalls draped in bright cloth, their counters piled with fruits that shimmered like jewels, blades etched with glowing runes, and bottled vials that pulsed with liquid light. The scent of roasted meats, spiced herbs, and sweet nectar filled the air.
Children darted between adults, chasing after toy familiars made of smoke and sparks. Scholars haggled for scrolls, while armored adventurers bartered for weapons. The entire place pulsed like the beating heart of a city, a bazaar built atop a gateway to worlds.
Jordan's eyes widened. "This… this is incredible."
Jayden's gaze swept over the bustle, his grin sharp. "So this is where the real game begins."
From the shade of a marble column, a familiar voice called out.
"Took you long enough."
Renfo leaned casually against a pillar, arms crossed, as if he had been waiting for them all along. His grin widened as his eyes flicked between Jordan and Jayden.
"A bit early to be exploring Astrolia, don't you think?"
Jordan turned to him, still dazed by the sights. "Astrolia…? This is it?"
Renfo chuckled, pushing away from the column, the flow of the bazaar swirling around them like a tide.
"Yeah. Welcome to the starter hub. You're not supposed to be here yet — but fate, it seems, didn't get that message."
His grin lingered, but his eyes held something deeper. Renfo already knew the truth — that these two were more than rivals, more than enemies. Twins, bound by fate.
But for now, that secret stayed with him.