Happy New Month, everyone! I hope you're well. This month, let's aim for 30 chapters. I'd love your reviews, so each review earns you one bonus chapter, up to ten bonus chapters a week.
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"Cole Ironheart, heir to the Ironheart Clan — the greatest forging clan in the city. If it's knowledge of stigmas you want, I can teach you everything you need to know."
Zayden's expression remained unreadable.
Cole sighed, sheathing his sword. "Anyway, you don't seem like you're from around here. Where are you headed?"
"The city," Zayden replied simply.
Cole grinned. "Perfect. I was headed there too. Come with me."
Before Zayden could agree or refuse, Cole tapped a bracelet on his wrist.
A soft hum filled the air as a floating vehicle materialised beside them. It was sleek and silver, shaped almost like a boat but with glowing runes along its sides.
Zayden's eyes narrowed. "What is this?"
Cole smirked. "A shuttle. Faster than walking, I promise."
He jumped into the cockpit and motioned for Zayden to follow.
Zayden hesitated for a moment before stepping in.
The inside was surprisingly spacious, with seats that moulded themselves to fit his body the moment he sat down.
Cole tapped a crystal embedded in the console, and the shuttle rose into the air with a soft whoosh.
"Sit back," Cole said. "We'll be there in no time."
The forest rapidly fell away beneath them, the mutated trees shrinking to specks as the shuttle shot forward at incredible speed.
Zayden leaned back, silent, his mind racing.
The golden crow mark still pulsed faintly on his arm.
But he didn't know the amount of danger this marking would bring him.
The sword's markings glowed in his memory.
And somewhere in the distance, the city grew larger and larger.
Zayden didn't know it yet, but what waited for him inside would change everything.
The shuttle slowed as they neared the city walls, skyscrapers towering above them like steel giants.
Cole grinned. "Welcome to Ironspire."
The shuttle descended toward a glowing platform...
...and that was when the city's alarm bells began to ring.
The shuttle landed with a soft hiss, its thrusters dimming as the platform beneath them glowed faintly.
Before Zayden could even stand, half a dozen armoured soldiers approached. They wore dark-blue uniforms with silver trim, their helmets sleek and covering their faces. Each one carried a strange rifle-like weapon, glowing with faint runes along its barrel.
The moment Cole stepped out of the shuttle, however, the soldiers straightened like rods and saluted.
"Young Master Cole!" the leading soldier said, bowing slightly. "We were not informed you were returning today."
Cole grinned and waved it off. "Yeah, it was a last-minute trip. You know me."
The soldiers chuckled nervously — clearly, they did know him.
But then their gaze shifted to Zayden, who had just stepped off the shuttle. Their friendly expressions immediately vanished, replaced by professional suspicion.
"Identification," the lead soldier said, holding out his hand.
Zayden blinked. "Identification?"
"Yes," the soldier said, voice growing colder. "All visitors must have city identification. Please present yours, or..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but his hand moved slightly toward the weapon strapped to his side.
Zayden's expression darkened. He had just spent hours in a dungeon fighting monsters that could crush a tank, and now some armoured guard was threatening him because of a card?
Before he could say anything, Cole stepped forward, raising his hand.
"Relax," Cole said. "He's with me. He doesn't have identification yet, but I'll vouch for him."
The soldiers exchanged glances, obviously conflicted. Finally, the lead soldier sighed.
"Understood, Young Master. But we still have to take him to the Central Hub to process his identification. It's standard procedure."
Cole nodded and turned to Zayden. "Don't worry about it. It's a hassle, but it won't take long. Here."
He pulled out a small silver token with the Ironheart Clan insignia engraved on it and handed it to Zayden.
"When you're done, come find me at the clan. This will get you through the gates."
Zayden took the token, his expression unreadable, then followed the soldiers back into a smaller shuttle that had arrived on the platform.
The ride was smooth and quiet, giving him a perfect view of the city.
And what a view it was.
The skyscrapers were impossibly tall, some piercing through the clouds, glowing with runes and faint lines of energy that traced across their frames like veins. Hovering platforms zipped between them, carrying passengers and cargo alike. Massive screens projected advertisements into the air, and even those were glowing with strange inscriptions, stigmas, if Zayden remembered Cole's words correctly.
Everything seemed alive, humming with power.
Vehicles floated gracefully along invisible lanes, doors opened automatically when people approached, and even the trash bins seemed to empty themselves.
"Everything runs on stigmas here," Zayden thought to himself. "Transportation, energy, security… even those billboards…"
He couldn't help but marvel at it.
The city was something out of a sci-fi dream, and yet, unlike Earth's technology, it all felt… mystical. Ancient and advanced at the same time.
Before he could think too much, the shuttle descended toward the largest building in the entire city.
It was a teardrop-shaped structure, hundreds of meters tall, gleaming with silver and gold, runes covering its entire surface. At the top of the teardrop, energy swirled like a beacon, pulsing faintly.
"This is the Central Hub," one of the soldiers said as the shuttle landed. "Follow us."
Zayden stepped out, and for a moment, he just stood there, staring up at the structure.
It was… massive.
Inside, the building was even more breathtaking.
The floor was made of polished crystal that glowed faintly beneath his feet, and strange floating orbs hovered overhead, lighting the massive hall in a soft, ambient glow. Hundreds of people moved around — some clearly civilians, others wearing military uniforms similar to the soldiers escorting him.
After a brief walk, they reached a reception counter where a woman in a fitted uniform greeted them with a professional smile.
"Processing a new visitor," the soldier explained, gesturing to Zayden.
"Understood," the woman said, then motioned for Zayden to step forward. "Please place your hand here."
A panel lit up on the counter.
Zayden complied, and a faint prick on his finger drew a single drop of blood.
"Checking for criminal record," the woman said as the panel glowed.
After a few seconds, it flashed green.
"No record found. Proceeding to star rank assessment."
"Star rank?" Zayden asked, raising an eyebrow.
The receptionist blinked. "You don't know what a star rank is?"
"No."
She looked surprised for a moment, then smiled. "Ah, you must be from one of the outer colonies. Star rank measures your star energy — the fundamental force that determines your power level. There are four main grades, each with nine ranks. Starborn, Radiant, Luminant, and Forgeheart."
"Starborn being the weakest?" Zayden asked.
"Yes," she said, nodding. "But even a Starborn is capable of destroying a city. Forgeheart, on the other hand…" Her smile turned slightly awed. "A single Forgeheart could wipe out an entire continent."
Zayden nodded slowly, remembering the "Starborn: Rank 7" note he had seen in his system before.
"So this is what it meant."
"Come with me," the receptionist said, leading him to another hall.
In the centre stood a massive crystal, taller than a grown man, glowing faintly with shifting colours.
"Place your hand on the crystal," she said. "It will measure your star energy."
Zayden placed his hand against the smooth surface.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the crystal flared bright red, light spilling across the entire hall.
The receptionist's eyes widened. "Seventh rank Starborn…?"
There was clear surprise in her voice.
"Is that high?" Zayden asked.
"High?" she repeated, almost laughing. "You're strong enough to become a general in the military. For someone your age to have this much star energy… you're a genius."
Zayden said nothing. He wasn't sure how to feel about being called a genius.
The process continued quickly after that.
Within minutes, the receptionist handed him a small black card.
"Your identification," she said. "This card contains your name, age, star rank, and clearance level. It will be required to access most parts of the city."
Zayden took the card, slipped it into his space ring, and turned to leave.
The soldiers who had escorted him saluted.
"You are free to go," the lead soldier said.
Zayden gave him a nod, then left the Central Hub.
Outside, the city seemed even more alive than before.
The streets were lined with glowing pathways, and small drones zipped overhead, delivering packages. Buildings shifted and reconfigured themselves automatically, their stigmas glowing as they worked.
Zayden pulled out the Ironheart token, examining it for a moment before starting in the direction of the Ironheart Clan's district.
His first real step into this strange new world had just begun.
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A/N: Star Energy essentially means Cosmic Energy.
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