The city of Quorath was unlike anything Nate had ever imagined. Towering skyscrapers—no, spires—reached up toward a sky that shimmered with iridescent purple and blue hues. The buildings themselves seemed to breathe, glowing from within as if powered by an unseen energy. Streets twisted in ways that defied physics, looping and spiraling in midair, held up by a gravity-defying force.
"Are we… floating?" Nate muttered under his breath, wide-eyed as he looked around.
"No," Lira said, her voice calm but sharp. "Not floating. Just… ignoring conventional physics."
"Right." Nate adjusted his backpack, which suddenly felt heavier. "Of course. Makes sense."
They moved through the city's bustling streets, weaving between alien beings of every size and shape. Some had multiple limbs, others multiple eyes. Some floated, some walked on tentacles, and others skittered along like giant insects. The hum of voices in languages Nate couldn't even begin to comprehend filled the air, mixing with the low thrumming of the city itself.
"Where exactly are we going?" Nate asked, trying to keep his bearings.
Lira glanced back at him. "The Council. They'll know more about your role in all of this."
Nate raised an eyebrow. "The Council? That's not ominous at all."
Lira didn't respond, instead leading him through the throngs of people, her steps sure and steady. She weaved effortlessly through the crowd, seemingly unfazed by the chaos. Nate, on the other hand, was having a bit more trouble. His head was spinning, and every time he thought he was getting used to the alien landscape, something even stranger would catch his eye.
A creature with the body of a lion and the head of a bird swooped overhead, its wings flapping with a sound like thunder. Nate ducked instinctively, even though it was nowhere near him.
"I'm starting to think I'm not cut out for this," he muttered.
Lira shot him an amused glance. "You're not the first."
They approached a massive structure that seemed to pulse with its own energy. The doors—if they could even be called doors—were made of some translucent material that shimmered in the light. As they approached, the doors parted automatically, revealing a vast, circular room inside, its walls lined with strange, glowing symbols. In the center of the room stood a large, floating platform, upon which sat several individuals—each of them as alien as the city outside.
At the head of the platform sat a figure who immediately caught Nate's attention. She was tall, with skin like polished obsidian and eyes that glowed a soft amber. Her silver hair flowed down her back in a way that seemed almost liquid. Despite the gravity-defying nature of the platform, she sat with perfect poise, as if nothing could disturb her.
"Welcome, Nathaniel Ashcroft," she said, her voice deep but warm. "We've been expecting you."
Nate blinked. "Uh, expecting me? I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing here."
The woman smiled slightly, a flicker of amusement in her gaze. "You are the Catalyst. The collapse of the dimensions is tied to you—your existence, your choices. And it's only just begun."
Nate took a step back. "Wait, collapse of dimensions? What does that even mean?"
The woman's expression darkened. "It means that the multiverse is in danger. Reality itself is unraveling, and you hold the key to its survival—or its destruction."
"Great," Nate muttered, rubbing his temples. "No pressure."
Lira stepped forward, her eyes never leaving the Councilwoman. "What exactly do you need him to do?"
The Councilwoman gestured toward Nate's hand, where the triangular glyph from earlier was faintly glowing. "That symbol, the one you carry, is part of the solution. You will need to understand its origins and its purpose, but that can only happen when you unlock the secrets of your past."
"Past?" Nate echoed, feeling a surge of unease. "What do you mean by that?"
The Councilwoman didn't answer immediately. Instead, she turned to another figure beside her—this one tall and thin, with skin like molten gold and eyes like shards of ice. He nodded at her silently.
"Take him to the Hall of Memories," she said at last. "There, he will learn the truth."
Lira turned to Nate, her eyes unreadable. "You're not going to like it, but you need to see this. We have no time to waste."
Before Nate could protest, a force seemed to take hold of him, pulling him toward the far side of the room, where another doorway appeared. It wasn't like any door he had ever seen—no hinges, no doorknob. Just a swirling vortex of light.
"Just follow me," Lira said, already stepping toward it. "Trust me. You'll understand soon enough."
Nate hesitated for only a moment before stepping into the light after her.