After an unknown length of flight, the fierce winds over the snowfields carried Anielo to the walls of Boen City, the northernmost city in Snowfield Province.
The towering walls of this city-state were carved with weathered runes. The city gates blended into the snowfields, while Military Guard cavalry patrolled nearby. Their gazes were sharp, and nothing escaped their eyes.
Anielo accelerated across the snow, the blizzard behind him nearly swallowing him whole. The sky was a sheet of gray, with only the whirling snowflakes dancing through the air.
As he neared the city walls, the storm gradually weakened. The heavy clouds seemed to no longer shroud Boen City ahead. Instead, a faint warmth spilled through a gap in the clouds.
The brightening light was like a guide. It fell across the walls, gilding the edges of the ancient stonework.
Anielo's eyes were drawn to it, and his heartbeat gradually slowed. The lingering, inescapable fear in his chest began to be replaced by safety and hope. The city's protective barrier seemed so gentle and welcoming, like a harbor in paradise.
Anielo entered through the city gate, no longer looking so panicked. When the Military Guards inspected him, he took the Empire military credentials from inside his clothes. His name and identity were engraved upon them.
When the Military Guards saw his identity, they immediately saluted and respectfully let him pass.
The city gates slowly opened before him, revealing the scene inside Boen City. Looking down from the gates atop the high ground, the busy streets, bustling markets, and grand buildings filled the city with vitality, utterly different from the silent snowfields.
Anielo took a deep breath. He could feel the anxiety that had weighed on his chest for so long being released, and his heartbeat gradually steadied. Every cell in his