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.

Thinks it’s all that! Well,

think the clouds are going to part. We should get a good

look at what?] I

don’t call them the Twin Cities for nothing. There!

upper reaches of the mountain have been shrouded by cloud and mist, but, for a moment, I catch a glimpse of something golden breaking through, a beam of light that stabs me right in the eye. Then, like magic, the clouds part, the mist fades, and I

just any gold, but gold

must be worth a damned fortune, and you decided to coat your damned outhouse

the author's consent. Report any appearances

Michaelangelant off the chain for a thousand years. Beautiful in design, delicate in construction, each line is aesthetically pleasing in context with those around it. Whoever made this city was determined to make it so damn pretty that nothing would ever come close, and they didn’t give a damn what

me. [Not that we are going to be welcome up there. That’s for citizens

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

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, but building

such an absurd amount of resources just to make things look nice? Impossible. It’s too

can imagine, the ka’armodo love this place, but for the most part, it's

people, just humans.

closer we get, stupid city, with the Legion continuing to shadow us on the way. The outer wall looms large as we draw closer, and I mean, really large. These people clearly

have imprinted unspeakably, eye-meltingly attractive artworks into the wall. Because of course they did.

much trouble here?] I ask,

your people have been waging a secret war against the Atreum that

we have, it's just as much a

they are a well-run and organised sort of place. We have all our documents sorted well in advance. We’re the kind of merchants who are especially

optimistic words, of course, doom us before we