Chrysalis

I suppose to some, it might be considered appealing… sort of. Others, perhaps some would say, those with better taste would call it tacky! Overdone! Gaudy, even!

Then again… no, no, I will not admit it! There’s no tunnels! How can any place be considered the best without nice, wide tunnels? It can’t, end of discussion. The roads do seem nice and spacious, though.

Bah! Who would ever want to dwell in a house covered in metal? Nobody! Even if that metal was… so soothing, and emitting such a glorious, ephemeral light….

DAMMIT!

I connect a mind bridge to Eran Thouris who is leaning against the railing next to me, looking smug.

[Well?] she asks.

[It’s nice.]

[Nice?] she asks, raising one scaled brow.

[Very nice.]

That’s all she’s gonna get out of me.

Mount Atreum, heart of the Atreum empire that bears its name, rises tall and imposing from the shimmering waters of the Lake before us. From the waterline up, the great and glorious Silver City covers the slopes. And I do mean covers. There isn’t a single square inch that hasn’t been developed, all enfolded within six rings of mighty walls. That’s not to say there aren’t any green spaces, oh no, there are frustratingly luscious and attractive-looking parks all over the damn place! The rest of it is large, well organised buildings connected by clean, wide streets. All of it, ALL of it (not the trees, obviously) is covered in what I’m told is Soul Silver.

And it is absolutely stunning.

stupid shininess. Thinks it’s all that! Well, it's

the clouds are going to part. We should get a

at what?] I

Twin Cities for

something golden breaking through, a beam

up the top? And it’s covered in GOLD?! Not just any

be worth a damned fortune, and you decided to

unlawfully lifted without the author's consent.

the chain for a thousand years. Beautiful in design, delicate in construction, each line is

to be welcome up there. That’s for citizens only. Wealthy citizens at that. You’re

in the sixth, wouldn’t that be worth more? Since it’d be more

comfortable living, this is the place to be. I’ll take my life under the waters any day of the week, but it’s not like I don’t understand the appeal,] she sighs. [We brathians love to collect and display our wealth,

Colony would never do it either,] I admit. [Spending such an absurd amount of resources just to make things

place, but for the most part, it's

giant magic lizard-wizards, no second-skin rock people, just humans. I mean, humans

the way. The outer wall looms large as we draw closer, and I mean, really large. These

artworks into the wall. Because of course they did.

expect much trouble here?]

people have been waging a secret war against the

we have, it's just as much a surprise to me as it is to

a little bureaucratic, but they are a well-run and organised sort of place. We have all our documents sorted well in

optimistic words, of course, doom us