Damien walked through the town's winding streets, following Lizella and the guards toward the heart of the settlement.
The town was vast—far larger than he had anticipated. Well-built stone houses lined the streets, and vendors called out to passersby as they peddled goods ranging from weapons and armor to rare herbs and magical trinkets.
At first glance, it seemed normal, like any other well-established town.
But as Damien observed more closely, he noticed three key things.
The first was that everything felt oddly peaceful.
Despite being hidden behind an advanced essence barrier, there was no real sense of paranoia or tension among the people.
The few merchants in town laughed as they bartered with customers, children ran through the streets playing, and warriors trained in open courtyards.
It was as if the outside world's chaos hadn't touched them.
But Damien knew better.
A hidden place like this didn't stay hidden for no reason.
