"Who is this kid?" a spectator murmured.
"Looks like he just came out of a rift," another replied, their voice tinged with curiosity.
"Is he one of the gatefolk? Are there humans from beyond the gates now?" a third voice questioned, their tone mixed with awe and skepticism.
As Ardiel's eyes fluttered open, he felt several hands clasping his arms, as if to restrain him. When he finally focused, he saw that the hands belonged to men clad in gray uniform, their outfits gleaming with the kind of craftsmanship that would cost hundreds of gold pieces in Eldenfren's currency.
"You're under arrest for suspicion of illegal activities," one of the men declared, his voice gravelly and authoritative and his movements kind of rough.
Still weakened from the jarring arrival and the disorienting nausea that had gripped him upon entering the space tunnel, Ardiel found himself unable to resist.
