The entrance to the Radiant City wasn't guarded by iron gates, but by an arch of golden light that pulsed softly.Pilgrims and merchants passed beneath it, and as they did, their bodies were bathed in a glow that seemed to cleanse the desert dust from their clothes. It was a gate of faith.
"This is going to be a problem," Zaya murmured from a distance. "Aeron, you're literally made of metal and shadow. That light will expose you the second you get close."
"I can help with that," said Lyren.He approached Aeron, placing his hands on the dragon's chest plate. Closing his eyes, he began to chant in ancient, whispered Elvish. A subtle, silvery light enveloped Aeron's body. His form didn't change, but an illusion cloaked him—one of an extremely tall, broad-shouldered human traveler wrapped completely in a gray hood and cloak, concealing his features."A disguise illusion. It won't hold up under direct scrutiny, but it should be enough to get us through the gate. Try not to bump into anyone."
With Aeron disguised, the group joined the line of pilgrims. They adopted the air of tired but hopeful travelers, seeking the salvation promised by Caelum Vordar.As they passed under the arch, a feeling of warmth and peace enveloped them. It was pleasant—but deeply artificial, like a hug from a stranger.
The interior of the city was breathtaking.Streets of immaculate white marble, golden buildings rising in elegant spirals, and perfectly tended gardens where flowers of light bloomed.There was no trash. No disorder.The entire city was bathed in constant, brilliant light emanating from a miniature sun that hovered above the central castle—Caelum's pinnacle.There were no shadows anywhere.
"I feel… exposed," Mika whispered, instinctively huddling closer to Aeron. "There's not a single dark alley to hide in."
"It's all so… beige," Kaien muttered. "Where's the color? The passion? It's like walking inside a celestial dentist's office."
That's when they saw them.Patrolling the streets—not with aggression, but with serene vigilance—were the Paladins of Solflare.They were men and women of all races, but all wore the same golden armor that looked like it had been forged from solidified sunlight.They didn't walk; they glided.
As they watched, a merchant stumbled and dropped his cart of fruit.A paladin approached. He didn't help. He just stood there—his presence a silent reprimand.The merchant, panicked, scrambled to collect the fruit, apologizing profusely. In his rush, he brushed against the paladin's leg.The merchant cried out in pain, pulling his hand back as if burned.The armor didn't just protect—it punished the unworthy.
"Noted," said Zaya, her eyes glowing with analytical interest. "The armor has an active radiant energy defense."
They found a pilgrims' inn—a clean and austere place called The Pilgrim's Radiance. In the room, with curtains tightly drawn to simulate privacy, they regrouped.
"That paladin… the merchant's blade brushed against his chestplate by accident," Lyren said, tension in his voice. "The sword—made of steel—shattered. The armor didn't have a single scratch."
"Brute force will be useless against them," Aeron concluded, his voice muffled by the illusion. "Even more useless than it was against Nyxra."
"I've been analyzing the light," Zaya interjected, projecting an arcane diagram into the air. "It's not fire or traditional light magic. It's more complex. It's like… manifested faith. Their conviction is their strength. The armor is a symbol of that conviction—solidified."
"So how do we fight faith?" Lian asked, worry in his voice.He looked out the window at the smiling people in the street."Everyone here seems… happy. Peaceful. Are we the villains for wanting to destroy this?"
"They're not happy, Lian. They're obedient," Aeron replied. "There's a difference.Their happiness is conditioned on submission.It's a gilded cage.We're not going to destroy the city.We're going to break the cage."
He turned to the group."A frontal assault is suicide. We need a different approach.Zaya, Lyren, I want you to analyze the city's power source—that artificial sun.Figure out how it works. Find a weakness.Kaien, Mika, I want you to blend with the people.Find the discontented.No society is perfect; there are always doubters, hidden heretics.Find the cracks in their faith.Lian, you stay with me. We'll observe the paladins—understand their patterns, their hierarchy."
They agreed. The plan was set.It wouldn't be an invasion—it would be an infiltration.They would spend the next few days as pilgrims, living under the blinding light of Caelum Vordar, learning everything they could.They wouldn't attack the fortress.They would undermine its foundation.
"Our goal is clear," Aeron said, his voice calm and dangerously steady."Find a crack in the light."