Longeryasi City

Wind rose along the avenue.

It swept across the ground, lifting snow-white dust from the road.

The gray-white dust swirled over the cracked, lifeless avenue. On either side of King's Road stood dilapidated houses smothered in vines, flower beds spilling through rusted iron fences, and a toppled dragon fountain statue broken in two.

The wind gradually died. White dust drifted down, then the desolate silence broke as the dull beat of hooves drew near.

Iron-shod hooves crushed the rampant vines. A warhorse flashed past, shaking the ground and sending white dust billowing high.

As the horse rose and fell beneath him, Xia Lun looked up at their destination.

At the far end of the horizon, he saw a ring like a solar eclipse. Its enormous orange-red arc hung high in the sky, black at its center, like a wound in the heavens.

A thin stream of orange-red "blood" flowed from the eclipse ring, falling like a waterfall. Though it was far away, Xia Lun could clearly see an indescribably magnificent tower at the cascade's end.

One glance was enough to bring a vast sense of desolation crashing over him, as though everything was destined to decay.

This was decay on a magnificent scale. This was the end of a civilization after its collapse.

"First Bloom Cathedral is beneath the Eclipse Ring," Renee said from behind him. "Spectacular, isn't it?"

Xia Lun said nothing.

Throughout the journey, Renee had tirelessly described the immense grandeur of Longeryasi City. Xia Lun had taken little notice. This world's technology was hardly advanced; however large Longeryasi City might be, it could never rival a major city from his own world.

Now he realized he might have been too arrogant.

This truly was a city of indescribable grandeur.

When he saw that orange-red ring hanging high