Kelion, at least by Joel's standards, turned out to be a rather small town. Having seen the great cities of Myrrial and having memories of true metropolises on Earth, this small walled town seemed almost like a rural settlement. Its structure was simple: a nearly perfect circle, barely a kilometer in diameter, surrounded by gray stone walls that gave the impression of having been rebuilt more than once. Even so, the town possessed obvious importance. Three wide, well-maintained roads branched off from it, leading north, south, and west; arteries along which a constant flow of traffic passed.

  The north-south route was, by far, the busiest. Joel observed it from a small hill before approaching and could see a ceaseless procession of dusty carriages, merchants on foot, peasants carrying goods, and groups of mounted guards patrolling with a professional air. Everything reflected a scene of normalcy… except for the details that broke with that normalcy.

  Two immense shadows crossed the sky. One was a colossal eagle, its wings so broad they cast a fleeting gloom over the road. On its back, a single rider, clad in light armor, held the reins with a naturalness that denoted great mastery. The other transport was even more striking to him: a red wooden boat, suspended in the air by a luminous network of energy that pulsed as if it were breathing. Inside, several people traveled comfortably, oblivious to the astonishment they inspired in Joel.

  Joel paused for a moment to take in the scene. In Myrrial, methods of flight existed, yes, but they were rare, expensive, and almost always reserved for powerful institutions. Here, on the other hand, they seemed part of the everyday landscape. He recalled the stories about Aeskar, a world where cities floated in the skies like islands among the clouds… but he had never seen one with his own eyes. The idea of ??moving freely through the air sparked a genuine, almost childlike, interest in him.

  When he resumed his journey toward the gates of Kelion, reality once again set in. Entering without arousing suspicion was an absolute priority, and for that, he needed a solid identity. Simply presenting a good appearance wasn't enough: in this world, where slavery was such a common business and espionage between nations a near-institutionalized sport, the nations had adopted strict identification mechanisms.

  In Dirmistan, that mechanism was a small official parchment. It contained the bearer's basic personal information, engraved in standardized calligraphy, and a multicolored seal so intricate that many considered it impossible to forge.

  For everyone… except Joel, who already had at his disposal all the technology necessary to replicate almost every possible color.

  Joel's lab had already become more than just a makeshift workspace. Over time, he accumulated a surprising array of electronic devices, including a document scanner and a color printer, both desktop models and compact enough to be conjured with mana. Along with his laptop, this setup almost absurdly became the world's first digital editing workshop.

  A place completely out of context… and, precisely for that reason, invaluable.

  Ariel was the first to show genuine interest in this small technological marvel. She insisted time and again on learning how to use the printer, fascinated by the possibility of materializing the photographs she took with her digital camera on paper. For her, it wasn't just a tool: it was a way to preserve memories.

  Joel, for his part, soon expanded the lab's scope. He began teaching Alicia how to use word processing and editing software, with the clear intention of making an immediate technological leap. There was no point in proceeding cautiously when the tools were already there. If they could take advantage of it, they had to do it now. Alicia learned quickly, with great ease, and soon she began helping older children familiarize themselves with keyboards, screens, and basic concepts.

  But the true purpose of the lab went far beyond teaching.

  In Dirmistan, carrying identification wasn't strictly necessary to pass through a city gate. Guards rarely asked for it unless someone stood out or seemed out of place. However, Joel had already confirmed that these parchments were indispensable for almost everything that truly mattered: accessing certain shops, exchanging large sums of money, acquiring property, signing contracts, or establishing formal business relationships.

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  Thus, Evander Glezos was born.

  According to the documents he created himself, he was born in the province of Scidria and worked as an independent merchant. An identity common enough not to stand out, but solid enough to open some doors. Joel had stolen an authentic ID, scanned it, and modified it using digital editing software. He adjusted names, dates, origins, and seals until everything fit together perfectly. Then, he printed the result on a new parchment. At first glance, it was impossible to distinguish it from the original.

  The disguise didn't end there. Evander Glezos wore clothes far finer than those of a simple peasant: well-cut fabrics, understated and clean colors, acquired in Vivec after careful selection. To complete the picture, Joel also bought a fine-bred horse from a local breeder, just as he was already on his way to the city. It wasn't an extraordinary animal, but it was elegant enough to support the story of a merchant with moderate resources.

  Joel entered Kelion without incident, passing through the city gates like any other in the steady stream of travelers. No guard stopped him or asked for identification; they barely gave him a quick glance, enough to recognize that he posed no threat. Even so, Joel decided to make a good first impression. With a casual gesture, he dropped a couple of silver coins, which one of the guards caught deftly and acknowledged with a knowing smile.

  As soon as he took a few steps inside, the city unfolded before him with a vitality that far surpassed that of Vivec. Kelion wasn't large by any means, but it was densely populated, alive, and constantly bustling. The central market occupied a considerable portion of the urban space and overflowed with activity, fueled not only by the local inhabitants but also by an endless stream of itinerant merchants, caravans, and travelers from various regions.

  It was there that Joel witnessed, for the first time with absolute clarity, the true diversity of the world of Gaea. Humans with ethnic features he had never seen in real life lived on the same streets, some with darker skin, others with features markedly different from those that predominated in Vivec. Among them walked demihumans of all kinds: some free, dressed in fine, yet modest, clothing; others clearly slaves, identifiable by the metal collars that glittered in the sun and by the way they avoided eye contact with passersby. He even saw the occasional dwarf, short and stocky, moving purposefully among the market stalls.

  The scene was strange, almost exotic to Joel, not only because of the mix of races and cultures, but because of something more subtle, something his instincts couldn't ignore. Scattered among the crowd, like predators camouflaged among their prey, were individuals who emanated distinctly dangerous auras. It wasn't overt magic or unrestrained power, but a contained, sharp presence, like sheathed blades waiting for the right moment.

  None of them posed a real threat to him. Joel knew this with absolute certainty. But even so, their numbers unsettled him. For a city the size of Kelion, the concentration of people with superhuman abilities was far too high. This confirmed what he already suspected and what Connor had somehow warned about: this world possesses a much freer culture of power, resulting in many more warriors on par with mages.

  On his very first day in Kelion, Joel encountered a number of individuals that he found, to say the least, unsettling. At first glance, and based on his own experience, he estimated that at least a hundred people possessed power comparable to that of level three or four mages. This wasn't obvious to the average observer; it was the aura and the subtle details: a different way of walking, overly alert gazes, bodies that seemed to move with an agility uncharacteristic of an ordinary person.

  Even more troubling was identifying, among the crowd, at least four presences that radiated an aura akin to that of a level five mage. Individuals who, even without manifesting their power, generated a subtle pressure on their surroundings, as if the air around them were slightly denser.

  Joel's magical senses had never been his strong suit, and in this world, they seemed even less reliable. Even so, it was impossible for him to ignore certain points in the city that emanated intense concentrations of energy. Entire buildings seemed to act as focal points, nodes where power constantly accumulated. Among them all, one stood out with overwhelming clarity: an imposing fortress located in the heart of the administrative district.

  Joel didn't need much imagination to assume that this place must be the governor's residence, or perhaps a high-ranking military headquarters. In any case, it was clear that this was the nerve center of power in Kelion, and a place that wouldn't be wise to approach without a very good reason.

  He decided to dedicate that first day exclusively to exploring. He left his horse at a well-regarded stable, paid in advance, and ventured into the city on foot, strolling leisurely through every street he could access. He had no fixed destination; he simply allowed himself to observe, listen, and absorb his surroundings.

  For Joel, the experience was strangely relaxing. For the first time since his arrival in this world, he felt like a true tourist: an anonymous visitor in a lively, bustling city, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, mingled languages, and foreign customs. There was something liberating about getting lost in the crowd, about not being anyone important, about not having to carry—at least for a few hours—the weight of decisions that could alter the fate of others.

  As he walked, he pulled out his trusty notebook and began recording everything he considered relevant. He jotted down addresses, identified plazas, secondary markets, temples, and administrative buildings. He also marked areas that seemed restricted or heavily guarded, and others that strongly conveyed a sense of latent danger. With quick strokes, he sketched a small map of the city, enough to help him find his way around on future visits.

  As the day began to wane and the shadows lengthened across the cobblestone streets, Joel decided to call it a day. He found an unassuming inn, paid for a simple room, and allowed himself to rest for the first time since arriving in Kelion.

  The real work would begin the next day: gathering information, making contacts, and seeking opportunities. After all, the city had much to offer… and he had virtually unlimited resources to take advantage of it.