The street before them opened like a maze of light.
Small white-stone houses climbed the slopes in terraces, their curved roofs shaped like wings. Every window breathed a soft, golden warmth — the kind that felt alive. Far above, massive towers drifted in the air, held aloft by radiant chains of Ether that swayed gently among the mist.
The air shimmered with laughter, the faint scent of Ether, and the sugary tang of melting candy carried on the breeze. People flowed through the streets like a river of color, and amid it all, three figures in student cloaks — Elior, Lucen, and Alice — wandered on, small travelers in a breathing miracle.
"This city… it's like magic that's alive," Elior murmured.
Lucen grinned. "If magic had its own night market, it'd look exactly like this!"
They turned down a lively street strung with glowing signs — Lunaris Lane. Runes of violet light shimmered across the cobblestones, mixing with the scent of caramel, smoke, and resin. Dozens of stalls crowded together, selling strange delights: floating cotton candy, singing glass beasts, bottled memories, and steaming bread shaped like angel wings.
Lucen's eyes went wide with childlike wonder.
"Paradise. Actual paradise!"
Unable to resist, he darted toward a large shop crowned with a gleaming brass sign: Boomworks Emporium. Inside, shelves overflowed with fireworks guns, spark bombs, electric grenades, and every imaginable glowing contraption.
"Oh stars, I want all of this!" Lucen gasped, reaching for a handful of gadgets.
Then he froze, patting his pockets — empty.
He turned to Elior, flashing a sheepish yet mischievous grin.
"Hey, partner… got any of that money left? Think of it as an investment in... minor explosions."
Elior sighed and pulled a shimmering coin from his robe — pale blue light danced inside it.
"That's to pay you back for the cloak and the wand. We're even."
Lucen snapped a salute. "Understood, Sir Sensible!"
He rushed to the counter, paid, and instantly ignited a small firework in his palm. It burst open, scattering tiny glowing sparks that floated like drunken fireflies.
Meanwhile, Alice had vanished across the street, drawn to the shimmer of a fashion boutique called Silven Skirt. Inside, she spun in front of a mirror wall lined with gowns woven from Ether threads. The whole room sparkled like a wave of liquid light. Her reflection — dozens of smiling versions of herself — twirled in endless harmony.
Elior looked around, his eyes landing on a narrow shop tucked between the riot of colors. Its sign was a dark shell etched with faint golden runes: The Whispering Shell.
He stepped inside.
The air was still — filled with the scent of metal and resin. Hundreds of tiny beetles slept inside glass jars, their wings catching the light like colored glass.
An old man wearing a five-lensed monocle looked up, voice rasping like wind across strings.
"Looking for a companion, or a secret ear?"
Elior frowned slightly. "The beetles… can they talk?"
"No," the old man said, tapping one of the cages. Inside, a silver beetle twitched, light pulsing down its antennae. "They listen. These are Scout Beetles. They carry sound through Ether waves — three per set, three lumencoins. Comes with a receiver."
"Do they need care?" Elior asked.
"Feed them Ether dust every three days. Otherwise…" The man smiled thinly. "They'll go silent — forever."
Elior nodded, paid, and accepted the tiny warm box. It felt almost alive — as if three little dreams were beating inside.
By the time he stepped back onto the street, the sunset had painted Astra in rose and gold. Lucen stood outside, arms full of paper bags bursting with fireworks, grin wide enough to split his face. Alice appeared beside him, her new dress glimmering faintly silver.
Lucen raised a sparkling cannon and tilted his head, mischief in his eyes.
"You two ready for a light show?"
Elior arched a brow. "As long as it doesn't turn into a fire drill."
"Relax," Lucen said with a wink. "Bad luck never picks me."
Somewhere above, the Ether bells rang, long and melodic, echoing through the floating city. The three stood together in the glow of Lunaris Lane, their faces painted with warmth — light, laughter, and something quietly hopeful.
High above, the floating towers trembled — almost as if breathing.
And far beyond, carried on the night wind, a pair of unseen eyes watched them… through the wings of a tiny silver beetle that had just opened.