CHAPTER 472: TOURING VI

Asher turned slightly toward her, meeting her eyes. The way she said it—steady, without praise or ceremony—carried more weight than a hundred titles ever could. He gave a small nod. "Then I’ll keep leading," he said quietly, "as long as I’m needed."

Valeris’ lips curved in a faint smile. "You always will be."

The breeze shifted then, carrying with it the scent of soul-lantern oils and distant incense from the upper tiers. A bell rang somewhere across the city—a deep, resonant sound that rolled through the streets like a living pulse. Around them, the air shimmered faintly, stirred by the countless threads of aura that fed Velstrand’s glowing veins.

"I can’t wait to explore this vast place," Freya said, her eyes gleaming with excitement. The others nodded in agreement, the earlier solemnity replaced by an easy warmth.

"Same here," Marina said with a grin. "I heard the eastern tiers have floating gardens powered by soul crystals. Imagine training there—surrounded by light and mist!"

"Or distracted by it," Catherine teased. "You’d end up meditating for five minutes before wandering off to chase glowing butterflies."

Marina gasped in mock offense. "I’ll have you know I’m perfectly capable of focusing... for at least ten minutes."

Arnold chuckled. "Progress."

Valeris smiled, her gaze drifting toward the city spires gleaming in the distance. "The upper districts are said to house the Archives of Ten Thousand Souls. I’d like to see what kind of records they keep—especially about the Rift and its ancient explorers."

Veyra nodded thoughtfully. "And the botanical sanctuaries near the southern gate. They cultivate rare soul herbs there—some said to bloom only under lunar resonance. It could be useful for my studies."

Sophia tilted her head. "Useful, or just another excuse to fill your pack with plants you’ll forget to label?"

Veyra’s calm expression didn’t falter. "Knowledge is never clutter."

Freya laughed. "She’s got you there."

Asher walked a few steps ahead, hands in his pockets, listening to them with quiet amusement. The liveliness in their voices made the night feel lighter—no tension, no hidden weight, just plans for the days to come.

"The Grand Pavilion opens tomorrow," he said after a moment. "We’ll register for exploration permits, then take a few days to see the city before heading to the Rift’s entrance."

"Finally," Arnold said. "I’ve been itching for a proper expedition again."

Catherine gave him a look. "You just want to test your new weapon."

He shrugged with a grin. "And what’s wrong with that?"

Marina stretched, glancing up at the drifting soul-lanterns overhead. "Let’s explore the night markets first. I heard there’s a stall that sells constellation maps—made from actual star fragments."

Lia’s eyes sparkled. "Ooh, I want one! Maybe we can get matching sets."

Sophia smiled softly. "You two will turn our quarters into a planetarium at this rate."

"That’s the idea," Marina said brightly.

Valeris looked over her shoulder at Asher. "You don’t mind a little sightseeing before the next mission, do you?"

He shook his head. "Not at all."

Selene’s voice carried gently from behind them. "Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, we explore. No battles, no training—just the city and its wonders."

"Agreed," Freya said, her tone light. "Let’s make it a day worth remembering."

They walked on, their laughter mingling with the hum of distant music and the glow of countless lanterns floating above the streets. The night around them felt vast and alive, full of promise.

For once, there was no weight of destiny pressing on their shoulders—only the quiet joy of looking forward.

As they turned down one of Velstrand’s broader avenues, the view opened into a magnificent sweep of light and color. The night markets were beginning to bloom—long rows of stalls unfolding like petals beneath the shimmering lanterns. Vendors called out softly, offering everything from radiant spirit fruit to talismans etched with faintly pulsing runes. The scent of incense and spiced nectar filled the air, mingling with laughter and the gentle hum of aura crystals.

Marina’s eyes went wide. "Oh, stars above—look at all this!" She darted ahead, practically glowing with excitement. "They even have soul-silk tapestries! And are those levitating sweets?"

Arnold followed, shaking his head with a grin. "We’ve lost her already."

"Just let her have fun," Freya said, her tone fond. "It’s been too long since she got to act like a normal person instead of a walking firestorm."

Catherine chuckled. "True. Last time she relaxed, half the courtyard caught fire from her ’meditation spark’."

Marina called back over her shoulder, "That was one time!"

They laughed again, weaving deeper into the market as the crowd swelled around them—humans, beastkin, and cultivators of every origin moving together in a river of light. Sophia paused at a jewelry stall, drawn by the faint resonance of the gems. One in particular—a small pendant shaped like a crescent moon—seemed to hum faintly when she touched it.

"Feel that?" she asked Lia. "It’s tuned to soul harmonics. Probably enhances aura flow during rest."

Lia smiled. "You’re buying it, aren’t you?"

Sophia hesitated, then sighed. "...Probably."

Valeris, meanwhile, was drawn toward a stall run by a quiet old merchant surrounded by scrolls and crystalline tomes. "These," he said, noticing her interest, "are maps of the inner ley-lines beneath Velstrand. Few outsiders see them."

Her eyes brightened slightly. "I’ll take one."

The old man nodded with a knowing smile. "Scholars always do."

Veyra lingered at a nearby table displaying sealed jars of luminous herbs. She traced a finger along one marked Moonveil Root, the glow within responding to her touch. "Perfect," she murmured to herself.

Asher, watching all of it, couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at his lips. Seeing them scatter through the market like this—at ease, curious, alive—felt right. The night no longer felt like a pause between wars but a reminder that life still moved, still offered beauty worth noticing.

Freya rejoined him, a wrapped skewer of aura fruit in hand. "You’re thinking too much again," she said, handing it to him.

He accepted it with a quiet chuckle. "Old habit."

"Break it," she said simply, taking a bite of her own. "For once, we get to be more than just fighters."

He looked at her for a moment, then nodded. "You’re right."