Chapter 34: Zion, Neutral Zone – The Free Continent
The carrier ship glided through the clouds, wings steady against the wind. Below, the vast stretch of Zion came into view.
Redmond pressed closer to the glass, eyes widening as the outline of the free continent sharpened beneath him.
Docks bristled with airships. Trade towers clawed upward into the sky, their lights blinking in coded patterns. Roads stretched like veins, pulsing with movement and color.
"This is Zion…" Redmond muttered, the words slipping out on their own. His reflection stared back at him—eyes wide, lips half-curved. "I thought it'd be rougher. Wilder. But… it's alive, more than I imagined... definitely not what I was expecting."
Then he turned from the glass, glancing at the girl seated a row behind him. She was slightly taller than most girls her age, but her face carried a youthful softness that made her seem younger at first glance. Her black-and-red hair was neatly tied back, strands catching the overhead light. A toolkit rested beside her feet, slim fingers idly brushing the edge.
"What about you, Angela?" Redmond asked, genuinely curious. "What do you think of Mellion?"
Angela blinked, lifting her gaze from the screen she had been scanning. For a moment she looked caught off guard, but then she shrugged lightly.
"Well… to be honest, I don't have much thought on it. But I guess it feels… loud. Busy. Like everyone's trying to move faster than the person next to them." She tilted her head slightly, her eyes flicking back to the view. "I'm not sure if I'd call it amazing, but… it definitely feels alive."
Redmond smiled faintly at her words, then turned back toward the window. Alive. Yeah… that's a good way to put it.
A low voice answered behind him. "Alive, yes. Safe, no."
Redmond turned. Aldrich stood at the command console, his cloak hanging loose, his frame steady as the ship itself. The king's gaze was fixed on the map projection, but his words were meant for his son.
"Do not mistake noise for peace. Zion is a knot tied between three blades. They call it neutral because no one dares cut it. But the knot holds only as long as each blade fears the others."
Redmond frowned. "So… everyone plays nice until they don't huh humanoid what creatures we are lady."
Aldrich gave a small nod. "Exactly. Remember, Redmond—your name carries weight at home. Here, it makes you prey. Walk lightly. Speak less. Let others think you are no one."
Redmond leaned against the glass, arms crossed. No one…? The thought pressed at him. He was used to being noticed, whether he wanted it or not. A prince by blood, heir by fate. But here? He would be just another traveler. For a moment, that felt… freeing. Then the weight of his father's words dragged him back. Prey.
From behind, her soft cough broke the silence. Angela sat with her tablet open, a coil of tools resting across her lap. Her short brown hair framed her face neatly, though her eyes kept flicking toward Redmond whenever she thought he wouldn't notice.
"I recalibrated your new visor," she said, her voice quick but steady. "Elira said the old one couldn't handle your output anymore. This one's reinforced—fiber-lined, adaptive filters. Strong enough to hold if you push too far again."
Redmond blinked, then accepted it. "Thanks, Angela."
Her cheeks colored faintly. "Just… don't break this one in the first week."
He smirked. "No promises."
Her lips tightened, though she didn't argue.
The escort commander stepped forward then. "My king, we're ten minutes from Mellion Airport. Landing protocols cleared."
Aldrich gave a single nod. "Prepare to disembark. Travel light. We leave as soon as we're through customs."
The descent was smooth, engines lowering them into the heart of Mellion. The docking pad lit up beneath them, guiding the carrier down.
When the doors hissed open, the city hit them all at once.
Heat. Voices. Color.
The airport was a hive of movement. Humans rushed with baggage, Grayscale workers unloaded cargo with impossible strength, their denser frames moving like forged steel. Tailborn darted through scaffolds, their long tails swaying as they balanced crates twice their size. Above it all, holo-signs flashed in three languages, offering routes, products, warnings.
Redmond took it all in, his head turning constantly. It really is all three races. Different, but moving in the same place. Like threads woven into one rope.
Beside him, Aldrich spoke low. "Keep your eyes forward. Wonder later. The Guild first."
The group moved in disguise. Cloaks masked their builds, half-masks hid their faces. Their guards blended as regular escorts, not royal knights. To anyone else, they were just a small company making their way through the chaos.
Once outside the port gates, the true Mellion came alive.
The market was a flood of sound and scent. Floating boards screamed advertisements. Steam curled from food stalls, spices burning the air. Traders waved glowing tech, metallic beasts blinked in cages, and fabrics rippled like water under artificial light. Children darted through legs, laughter echoing in the crowd.
Redmond slowed, his chest tightening as he tried to take it all in. It feels different from home. Wilder. Alive in a way our cities aren't. No polished order, no sharp walls—just noise, chaos, and life piled together.
Aldrich's voice cut the thought. "Keep pace. Curiosity is a luxury we cannot afford now."
Redmond sighed and pulled his hood lower. Angela fell in step beside him, her bag of tools knocking softly against her hip.
That was when a voice slipped into his ear. Smooth. Teasing. Too close.
"First time in Zion?"
Redmond's head snapped sideways. A woman had matched his stride as though she belonged there. Pale skin with a faint sheen, violet eyes lined with silver. Her frame was balanced—not as broad as a Grayscale, not as lean as a Tailborn. Something in-between.
The guards reacted instantly. Hands brushed weapons, steps shifted to block.
"Identify yourself," one hissed.
But the woman only smiled. "Relax. If I wanted to stab him, I'd already be holding the blade."
Her voice dripped with casual mischief, but her eyes held no fear.
Aldrich's gaze sharpened. "Name."
She tilted her head, lips quirking. "Nenemi. Rift Hunter. Omega class A."
The words hit like a weight. Around them, a few heads turned. Whispers started.
Redmond frowned slightly. "Omega A? That's… high."
"High enough." Nenemi grinned. "Beta F to S is the kiddie pool. Omega F to S is the real swim. Alpha's the ceiling. I plan to break it."
She leaned closer, eyes glinting. "You, though… you smell like someone who hasn't even gotten their feet wet."
Redmond smirked. "Bold way to greet strangers."
"Zion rewards bold." She flicked her gaze toward Aldrich, then back to Redmond. "Heading for the Rift-Hunters' Guild?"
Angela stepped in sharply. "That's none of your business—"
Redmond cut her off with a hand. "Yeah. We are."
"Perfect." Nenemi spun lightly, coat brushing against her legs as she gestured ahead. "I'll take you. Easier with someone who knows the streets."
The guards shifted, tense. Aldrich said nothing. His silence was its own test.
Redmond exhaled. "Fine. Lead the way. But no games."
"No promises, Red." Nenemi winked.
Redmond's smirk widened. "You know… if you drop the first letter in your name, it sounds like enemy." He leaned closer, voice low. "Kind of suspicious, don't you think?"
Nenemi froze, then burst out laughing, head thrown back. "Oh, that's sharp. Careful, or I might decide to prove how wrong you are."
Angela scowled at her, eyes narrowing, but said nothing.
As they pushed deeper into the market, whispers floated past from nearby merchants and travelers.
"…they say a new island rose out of the sea last week…"
Someone replied "... stop talking nonsense how can an island just appear out of nowhere,.. maybe it was just discovered..."
"…still it's covered in fog, as thick as steel… no ship that goes near comes back the same as most hunters have been deemed missing…"
"…i think some call it a Rift, others say it's alive or something…"
Redmond caught fragments, his steps slowing. A fog-covered island?
Nenemi noticed his glance. "Rumors travel fast here. Most are trash. But the fog one…?" She smiled faintly. "That one's interesting."
Redmond frowned, curiosity sparking. But Aldrich's voice cut it short. "Eyes forward. Guild first. Rumors later."
So they walked on, the market buzzing around them, with whispers of fog and mystery chasing their steps.
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