Aidan stepped forward, his boots crunching against the rough, dirt-covered street.
The city of Velthar stretched out before him, a strange blend of ancient architecture and glowing, otherworldly structures. Towering spires pulsed with eerie blue runes, bridges of polished stone arched over winding canals, and streets bustled with people who looked both human and… not. Some had elongated ears, others glowing eyes, and a few bore strange markings across their skin.
It was nothing like the world he had come from.
He walked cautiously, taking in the sights, his body still aching from the fight with the Shadowborns. The injuries slowed him, but not enough to stop his curiosity. He needed answers.
Aidan approached a group of people standing near a merchant stall. "Excuse me," he said, keeping his tone neutral. "Where exactly am I?"
They barely spared him a glance before turning away.
He frowned and moved to another group, two older men leaning against a stone pillar, engaged in quiet conversation. "Hey, can you tell me about this place?"
One of them shot him a look of disdain. The other simply muttered, "Move along, stranger."
The response was the same wherever he went. Cold stares. Mutters. People moving away as if he were some sort of vagrant.
Aidan clenched his fists. Great. I'm a nobody here.
He sighed and continued walking, moving deeper into the city, past narrow alleys and open-air markets filled with bizarre fruits and metallic trinkets. He kept his senses sharp, noticing the sharp contrast between the wealthy, who moved in elegant robes, and the desperate, who lingered in the shadows of the alleys.
Then, a scream shattered the air.
A Cry for Help
Aidan's head snapped toward the sound.
Down a narrow side street, he saw five burly men surrounding a girl, their bodies blocking her escape as she pressed against a brick wall.
The girl no older than sixteen had short, silver hair and wore a tattered cloak. She clutched a small satchel to her chest, her eyes wide with fear.
"I don't have anything else!" she cried, voice trembling. "Please, just let me go!"
The biggest of the five, a man with a thick scar running across his jaw, sneered. "That's not for you to decide, little rat."
One of his companions, a bald thug with a jagged tattoo on his arm, reached for her satchel. "Hand it over, girl. We're feeling generous today. Might even let you leave with your legs intact."
The girl flinched. "No! This is all I have!"
Aidan's blood boiled.
One thing he couldn't stand was the strong preying on the weak.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward. "Let her go."
The thugs turned toward him, brows furrowing in annoyance.
Scar Jaw let out a chuckle. "Oh? And who the hell are you?"
"A dead man, if he doesn't walk away," Bald Tattoo added, cracking his knuckles.
Aidan rolled his shoulders, feeling the tightness in his muscles from his previous injuries. His body still ached from the fight with the Shadowborn, but this? This was nothing new.
He took another step forward. "I said, let her go."
The five thugs stared at him for a moment, then burst into laughter.
Scar Jaw wiped a fake tear from his eyes. "Oh, this is rich! The little hero thinks he can stop us!"
Bald Tattoo smirked. "Maybe he needs a lesson in how things work in Velthar."
They surrounded him.
Aidan exhaled slowly, planting his feet. "Alright," he muttered to himself. "Let's do this."
The Fight Begins
The first thug rushed him, swinging a crude iron club.
Aidan sidestepped, grabbed the man's wrist, and twisted. The thug screamed as his weapon clattered to the ground. Aidan delivered a sharp elbow to his ribs, then swept his legs, sending him crashing onto the cobblestones.
One down.
The second attacker came in fast, throwing a wild punch. Aidan ducked, countering with a brutal uppercut that snapped the man's head back. Before the thug could recover, Aidan grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the wall.
A third came at him from the side, swinging a rusted dagger.
Aidan caught his wrist mid-strike, twisted, and drove his knee into the man's stomach. The thug gagged, his breath escaping in a sharp wheeze. Aidan followed up with a swift punch to the jaw, sending him sprawling.
Three down. Two to go.
Scar Jaw and Bald Tattoo hesitated, clearly reevaluating their choices.
"That all you got?" Aidan taunted.
Bald Tattoo snarled and pulled out a curved knife. "You think you're tough? Let's see you bleed!"
He lunged.
Aidan moved fast, catching the man's wrist just as the blade nearly sliced his shoulder. He twisted sharply, forcing Bald Tattoo to drop the knife with a grunt of pain. Before he could react, Aidan drove a powerful knee into his stomach.
Bald Tattoo staggered back, gasping for air, just in time for Aidan to send a brutal spinning kick to his temple. The thug crumpled.
Scar Jaw was the last one standing.
He looked at his fallen comrades, then back at Aidan.
A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
He tried to act tough. "You're making a mistake, stranger. You don't know who we..."
Aidan cut him off by stepping forward and punching him straight in the face.
Scar Jaw's head snapped back as blood sprayed from his nose. He stumbled, barely staying on his feet.
Aidan didn't let him recover.
He grabbed Scar Jaw by the collar, lifted him off the ground, and slammed him down with a powerful throw.
The man groaned, dazed.
Aidan knelt beside him. "Are we done here?"
Scar Jaw nodded weakly, spitting blood. "Yeah… we're done…"
Aidan rose to his feet. "Then get out of my sight."
The thugs scrambled away, dragging their unconscious companions with them.
A Grateful Stranger
Aidan turned to the girl. She was still pressed against the wall, gripping her satchel tightly.
"You okay?" he asked.
She hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah… I think so."
Aidan studied her. Up close, she looked exhausted, her clothes torn and dirty. Her silver hair was unkempt, and her sharp, wary eyes spoke of someone used to surviving on the streets.
She took a deep breath, then smiled. "Thank you. If you hadn't shown up…"
Aidan waved it off. "Don't worry about it."
She hesitated again, as if debating something. Then, she extended a hand. "Name's Lyria."
Aidan shook it. "Aidan Kade."
Lyria glanced at him curiously. "You're not from around here, are you?"
Aidan smirked. "What gave it away?"
She snorted. "The fact that you just walked into Velthar and picked a fight on your first day."
Aidan chuckled. "Not my fault. I hate seeing people like them get away with crap like that."
Lyria tilted her head. "You're either really brave… or really stupid."
"Maybe both," Aidan admitted.
She studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Well, since you saved my life, I guess I owe you one. If you're looking for answers, I might be able to help."
Aidan raised an eyebrow. "You know about this place?"
Lyria smirked. "Let's just say I know my way around Velthar. Stick with me, and you might just survive."
Aidan exhaled, glancing at the massive city before him. He had no idea what lay ahead, but at least now, he had a lead.
And maybe, just maybe, he wasn't alone in this world.
...