The sun shone warmly over Blank City as
Ethan walked through the main streets, carrying his children with ease.
Ray, who was only four and a half years old, sat high on his father's right shoulder. His small hands gripped Ethan's hair tightly, while his sharp eyes watched the streets below.
On the other side, Miranda, who had already turned three, clung cheerfully to his left shoulder. Her laughter rang out in the air as she pointed at things around her with wide, curious eyes.
The streets of Blank City were alive with the sound of people going about their day. Merchants called out their wares, farmers pushed carts full of fresh produce, and children ran around laughing.
The air carried the smell of roasted bread and cooked meat from the stalls lined along the wide stone-paved roads.
The town had changed a lot. When Ethan first came here, Blank had been a simple place, quiet and not too big, with just around forty thousand people.
