In the last lingering glow of the setting sun, giant eagles from the Silver Empire beat their enormous wings and descended onto Pioneer Plaza near the heart of the city. These proud, well-trained raptors remained solemn and orderly as they lowered themselves onto foreign soil, allowing their riders to dismount. At almost the same moment, the last streak of sunset quietly slipped away from the rooftops surrounding the plaza, and night fell upon the imperial capital.
Yet darkness did not arrive as expected—the magic crystal lamps had already been lit. Brilliant light poured down from the tops of tall iron poles, illuminating the plaza and surrounding streets as brightly as day. The welcoming party approached from both sides, while enormous holographic projections rose into the air around the edge of the plaza, displaying dazzling flowing lights and greetings written in two languages. Cheerful music echoed overhead, a human melody blended with elven-style variations.
Azmor climbed down from the giant eagle's back. Before he could properly study the human imperial capital, the lights, shadows, and sounds filling his eyes and ears left him momentarily stunned. Only then did he gradually adjust, his gaze sweeping across humans dressed in "modern clothing" utterly unlike anything in his memories, their faces full of spirit; across the bright, orderly streetlamps and towering buildings at the edge of the plaza; past the huge holographic projections floating in the air, to distant crystal spires glowing faintly, mechanical clock towers, flying machines circling farther off in the sky, and even dragons on night flights.
These god-given eyes allowed him to see farther in the night, and what he saw were details that could not be discerned while looking down from the sky.
The oldest surviving Druid sage widened his eyes in surprise. He remembered the splendor of the