The glow of Helior Prime showed up long before the city itself did.
At first it was just a smear of light on the horizon, layered bands hovering above the terrain like stacked halos. As they got closer, the details filled in—floating traffic lanes braided together, towers rising in uneven clusters, energy shields curving overhead to keep Jupiter's storms out. The city didn't sprawl. It stacked, folded in on itself, and climbed.
Before they could reach it, the road narrowed.
Arlen slowed the van as warning markers lit up ahead, suspended in midair by invisible fields. A checkpoint unfolded out of the ground, not a single gate but a sequence of them. Vehicles peeled off into assigned lanes automatically, guided by traffic control drones that buzzed low and impatient.
Rin leaned forward, watching. "This is a lot."
"It's Helior Prime," Arlen replied, easing them into position. "No one just drives in."
