[Seraph City]
Sector 2, Alpha Quadrant
The vast city of Seraph unfolded across high ground, nestled between rugged mountains.
Ery could see that the city was as expansive as the Golden City or Centauri, but it exuded a solemn aura. There was an undeniable sense of reverence in the air, with grand temples and towering statues scattered throughout the tropolis, a striking contrast to the bustling streets of other magus cities.
When the transport ship finally docked, Ery and Annara stepped off alongside the other passengers. Hundreds of travelers exited with them, their faces illuminated by the golden light reflecting off the city's towering statues and temples. The city seed quieter, less crowded. Instead of the constant hum of chatter and movent, the sound of bell chis resonated from every corner, interwoven with the soft murmur of people chanting. The atmosphere was reverent, almost sacred, as if every corner of the city demanded quiet respect.
Annara, as expected, couldn't contain her excitent. "The two of us, exploring a new city, just like old tis!" Ery, however, was focused. He ignored her enthusiasm, his eyes scanning their surroundings carefully.
The crowd was slowly moving toward the city's checkpoints, and he made sure to blend in seamlessly. Their fake identities passed through the security checks with ease.
Once they passed the last checkpoint, Annara leaned in close, her voice playful. "So, where are we going next?"
Ery shot her a glance, "You can stay here wait until I need you, or you can follow and stay silent." The seriousness in his tone wiped away her playful grin.
Annara pouted but said nothing further, knowing when to push and when to fall in line. This was no lighthearted adventure—they were deep in Nephilim territory, and any misstep could spell disaster.
Ery led the way through the bustling streets of Seraph City, their path eventually taking them to one of the largest and most prestigious shops in the area:
[Three Feathers Enterprise] It was a colossal establishnt, its grand facade adorned with intricate carvings of angelic figures, a clear nod to the city's overarching aesthetic. The shop was renowned for handling massive transactions, specializing in goods unique to the Nephilim's dominion—everything from rare artifacts to specialized resources.
Ery walked in confidently, showing a rchant identification he'd earned through his apothecary dealings. This imdiately caught the attention of one of the shop's managers—a middle-aged woman with sharp features and an air of authority.
"Mister Evan, what kind of goods are you interested in?" she asked politely.
"Slaves," Ery replied directly. "I need a large number."
He ntioned a staggering figure, enough to make even the most seasoned rchant pause. The manager's eyes widened slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.
"We can certainly accommodate such a request," she said, her tone now more formal. "If you'd like, I can arrange a tour beyond the city, to so of the nearby planets where we keep our stock."
Ery nodded, showing her a golden token as proof of his ability to pay. Satisfied, she provided him with a spaceship, to ascend out of the Seraph City into a nearby planet.
Beside him, Annara grew increasingly uneasy. She stared out of the window with furrowed brows, her tension palpable. Finally, she broke the silence, sending Ery a telepathic ssage.
Her thoughts raced, her worry evident.
The silence that followed was filled with Annara's exasperation. She shot him a glance, clearly unconvinced but unwilling to press further.
As the ship broke through the atmosphere of their destination, Ery caught sight of the planet below. It was smaller than Earth, roughly one-fifth its size, yet held a staggering population of over a billion. From above, the landscape stretched out in vast, yellow deserts, barren and dry. Winds swept across the dunes, carving intricate patterns into the sandy terrain.
What caught Ery's eye, however, were the massive structures that dotted the planet's surface. Gigantic statues and towering temples lood over the landscape, their grandeur rivaling even the largest of cities. They were everywhere—surrounding residential areas, standing tall in the open desert, casting long shadows over the settlents below. The ship touched down on a platform near one of these monuntal temples.
They switched transports to a sleek, ornate chariot pulled by a team of majestic flying horses, their white wings beating rhythmically as they ascended into the sky. To avoid drawing attention from the locals, it was cloaked in an invisibility spell, rendering it and its passengers completely unseen as they soared above the bustling planet below.
From this vantage point, Ery could see the true scale of the Nephilim's control. The sprawling desert gave way to a massive mine, one of the largest on the planet, where tens of thousands of slaves toiled beneath the scorching sun.
The scene was grim yet oddly disciplined. Rows upon rows of workers, so visibly too old for such labor, others far too young, and many won, all moved in unison as if driven by an unseen force.
Their bodies were covered in sweat, and fresh injuries dotted their limbs. Yet, as Ery observed closer, he realized that despite their grueling work, there was a sense of purpose in their movents. They seed motivated, almost content with their fate, as if they were performing a task they had accepted. So even wore faint smiles, strange and unsettling in the context of such harsh conditions.
Annara, seated next to him, sent him a wary glance,
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