The afternoon light was dull, swallowed by heavy clouds gathering above the capital. A strange stillness clung to the streets — not of peace, but of uncertainty.
At the heart of Lumisgrave's central square, massive structures stood — silent, metallic, and utterly alien.
Dark, iron-like towers reaching high into the sky, glowing faintly with etched symbols across their curved surfaces. No one knew how they had appeared. They simply were… as if they had always been there.
Children no longer played near the fountain. Merchants stood frozen, their stalls abandoned mid-sale. Citizens gathered in clusters, whispering, pointing, trembling.
From the eastern roads, dust rose. The Army of Lumisgrave advanced — rows of armored soldiers in silver and blue, polished helms glinting under the overcast sky. Their arrival brought both relief and dread.
At the front rode Captain Virell, a tall, stern woman known for her discipline and fierce loyalty to the crown. Her horse snorted, agitated by the eerie silence as she raised her voice.
> Captain Virell (shouting): "Clear the square! Citizens, back away from the Gates immediately! I repeat — MOVE BACK NOW!"
Some people obeyed. Most didn't.
They just stood there, unable to tear their eyes away.
In the crowd, Arslan stood with his hood up, arms folded tightly. Just another citizen caught in the madness.
Beside him, a young boy asked his father a question.
> Boy (quietly): "Did they fall from the sky?" Father: "No. They rose… like pillars out of the ground."
> Boy: "Then… why now? Why today?"
Arslan turned slightly. He had no answers either.
Behind the army came a group of robed scholars and engineers — the Kingdom's Research Division. They moved quickly, scrolls and crystal-powered tools in hand. Most were pale, murmuring quietly, as if afraid their voices might awaken something.
Among them walked Researcher Alia, a young woman with short chestnut hair and a hovering orb that glowed with runes.
She paused in front of the Gates, scanning the air.
> Alia (to her team): "These frequencies… they're not elemental. Not divine either. It's like the Gates are alive… humming."
> Researcher Dain (pulling her back): "Don't go too close. We still don't know if it's safe."
From the crowd, a woman clutched her daughter's hand tighter.
> Mother (tense): "What if it's a weapon?" Soldier (gently): "We don't know yet, ma'am. Please step back."
A voice rang out from the crowd.
> Villager (shouting): "Why haven't you destroyed them yet?! What if something's inside?!"
Captain Virell dismounted.
She stepped forward, her voice calm but authoritative.
> Captain Virell: "We won't destroy something we don't understand. The Research Division is investigating. Until then — no one goes near the Gates."
Soldiers began forming barriers. Runes lit up along the edges of the square as boundaries hummed to life.
Arslan stepped back, giving way as a line of troops passed in front of him.
He glanced up again at the towering structure. There was no movement. No sound. Yet… something about it felt wrong.
Still, he said nothing. Just watched.
Near the edge of the Gate, Lead Scholar Renn — an elder with white robes and thin-rimmed glasses — circled slowly, hands behind his back.
> Renn (quietly): "No recorded dialect matches these markings… yet they resonate like a pulse. These gates weren't built here. They were placed."
Alia turned to him, frowning.
> Alia (nervous): "Sir, I… I think these are entrances. Portals maybe."
> Renn (low tone): "Possibly. But to where… or from where?"
Even among the trained and battle-hardened soldiers, fear clung like mist.
> Soldier 1 (whispering): "I'd rather fight a basilisk than stand guard here all night." Soldier 2: "It's like to watch a dragon…"
The light began to shift. The sun dipped lower behind the mountains. A reddish glow filtered through the clouds, brushing against the top of the Gates.
> Captain Virell (raising her voice): "Enough. We wait no longer."
She turned to the civilians.
> Captain Virell: "Everyone — go home. The square is sealed. Return to your homes and stay inside until further notice."
> Alia (amplified voice): "Please — for your safety and ours, do not approach the Gates. We'll investigate and share all findings soon."
Slowly, the crowd began to thin. Reluctantly. Anxiously.
But Arslan remained near the fountain, watching.
---
A few minutes later, he saw a group of researchers preparing scanning tools near the Gate's surface. Arslan approached them cautiously.
> Arslan (curious): "Is it true? The gates weren't summoned by anyone?"
Alia turned, surprised by the voice.
> Alia: "We didn't summon them. They just… appeared."
> Arslan: "Then it's not a spell? Or divine sign?"
> Alia (shaking head): "We checked. No known ritual matches this. No energy signature matches either."
Another researcher, Dain, looked over at Arslan.
> Dain: "You from the city?"
> Arslan: "Yes. I was nearby when the tremors stopped. But I didn't see them rise."
> Alia (softly): "No one did. They were just… there."
Arslan stepped away, staring again at the Gates.
No wind blew. No birds passed. The air was thick. As if holding its breath.
Behind him, Captain Virell issued her final command for the day.
> Captain Virell: "Researchers have authority inside the perimeter. Soldiers — keep watch. Until the King issues orders, this site is locked down."
---
As Arslan turned to leave, he saw a woman near the edge of the square whispering a prayer.
> Woman (softly): "Let them be warning… not wrath."
He paused.
Something deep in his chest stirred — not fear, not wonder. Just… a silence. A stillness that didn't belong.
And then he walked away.....