The city rose before him like an old memory brought back to life. Towers of glass and mana-infused steel stretched into the skyline, their lights flickering even in the fading daylight.
Roads thrummed with carriages enchanted to float inches off the ground, their glowing wheels spinning silently. Crowds spilled across crosswalks, laughter and chatter weaving with the noise of vendors hawking goods.
Merlin stood on the edge of a rooftop, his breath short. Even with affinities smoothing the path, the rush had drained him more than he wanted to admit. His knees trembled faintly, but he gritted his teeth and steadied himself.
"…Still too much strain," he muttered. His voice was lost to the wind.
From here, though, he could see it. A small block of apartments tucked between a bakery and a tailor shop, worn brick and glowing windows that belonged more to home than any dormitory ever could.
He leapt again. The world blurred. And then—
