At once, threads of faint light shimmered before his sight. Each of them glowed brightly, their luck values far beyond most he'd seen.

Thessalia's was stable and steady, Aurelya's burned warm and lively, bit brighter than hers. But Vaenyra's glow was something else entirely, almost as radiant as the one he'd once seen from Kairo.

Yet what truly caught his attention was Liraeth. Her light was the brightest of them all.

Lumberling frowned a little. He had used Fate Glimpse on her once before, spending quite a bit of energy, but all he saw were fragments of her past, memories she had already shared with him. Nothing about her future ever appeared.

'Does this skill only show the past?' he wondered, his eyes narrowing. 'Or am I still too weak to see the future… like Agathis does?'

He let out a quiet breath, lowering his gaze. 'I'll just have to wait, until Liraeth's Oracle Path awakens. Maybe then… she can help me advance mine too.'

...

Weeks later, Lumberling and his group came to the gates of Stonehaven, the heart of the Stonepalm Duchy.

A guard glanced down from the wall and barked. "What brings you here outsiders? Turn back and leave, no one is allowed in!"

Lumberling's eyes narrowed. He let his aura leak out, heavy and cold. The three elves beside him followed, their presence blending with his until the air itself trembled.

"How dare you decide that," Lumberling said, his voice deep and commanding. "Do you know who we are?"

The guard stiffened. His voice caught in his throat as he looked down again, this time seeing what he had missed, the calm confidence in their stance, the faint glow of power around them. The pressure alone made him swallow hard.

"T-True Knights…" he muttered, his earlier tone fading into unease.

"I… I'm sorry, sir—" the guard stammered, his voice shaky.

Lumberling cut him off, stepping forward, pushing his aura pressing down harder. "We are from the Iron Legions. Open that damn gate, or I'll break it myself." His voice carried the kind of quiet danger that left no room for jokes.

The guard swallowed hard, his earlier bravado gone. The air between them grew tight and heavy.

"Iron Legions…" one of the guards whispered, his voice shaking. The name alone carried weight, one of the empire's four great pillars, the blade that led its wars. No one in their right mind would dare to offend them.

"Open the gates!" the guard captain barked, though there was a nervous edge to his voice.

"But Captain, the Duke ordered…" one guard began, hesitant.

"Then send someone to inform the Duke!" the captain snapped. "We're not taking chances with the Iron Legions. Move!"

The guards scrambled into motion. One of them bolted toward the heart of the city while the rest hurried to crank open the massive gates. The sound of heavy iron chains echoed as the doors slowly parted.

Lumberling smiled faintly and threw a quick, playful wink at his companions. Aurelya and Liraeth both rolled their eyes, while Thessalia just sighed.

Beside him, the three elves and Liraeth kept their hoods and veils low, their faces hidden from sight. Only Lumberling stood uncovered, his expression calm and confident, carrying himself like someone who truly belonged to the Iron Legions.

As the heavy gates creaked open, the guard captain hurried down to meet them. He straightened his armor, forcing a polite smile despite the tension in his eyes. "Sir, please this way."

Lumberling gave a short, unimpressed snort. "You should've done that from the start."

"My apologies, sir," the captain said quickly, bowing his head. "The Duke's orders were strict. No outsiders are allowed inside the city walls."

"Then lead me to your Duke," Lumberling said, his tone sharp. "I'll speak to him myself."

"Yes, sir," the captain replied at once, saluting nervously. "This way, please."

With that, Lumberling and his group followed him through the open gates, stepping into the heart of Stonehaven.

Beyond the gate stretched a wide avenue lined with clean stone paths and lanterns that swayed gently in the breeze. The city looked unlike any place Lumberling had seen in this world. The houses were made of dark wood, their roofs curved upward, each one decorated with blue and green tiles that gleamed softly.

At the corners of those roofs sat small carvings of dragons, birds, and strange beasts. The air carried a calm, balanced feeling.

Lumberling and the elves slowed their steps, quietly taking it all in.

His gaze shifted to the people and soldiers moving through the city. Most of the guards on the wall earlier were Knights, but here, among the patrolling soldiers, he felt a familiar energy.

'Qi…' he realized, his lips curling into a faint smile. 'So it's true. Not just the Duke, but some of the people here actually cultivate martial arts.'

The further they walked, the more details stood out, paper lanterns hung by every door. Wooden sliding doors opened and closed as people walked in and out. Inside, he caught glimpses of small yards with sand neatly raked, a few bamboo plants, and water flowing over stones.

'This… this is exactly like the cities from those murim stories I used to read,' he thought with a faint chuckle. 'So this is how they'd look in the real world.'

"Huh… never seen buildings like these before," Aurelya said, her eyes wandering over the curved rooftops and hanging lanterns.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Liraeth added with a small smile. "I was surprised too when I first came here. It felt like stepping into another world."

Vaenyra nodded, brushing her fingers along one of the smooth wooden fences they passed. "Their structures are strange… but there's something graceful about them. Kind of peaceful."

"Even the air feels different," Thessalia murmured, glancing up at the gently fluttering banners above the street. "It's calm here. Like everything's in harmony."

The captain glanced back at them with a proud smile. "These are the traditions the Duke taught us," he said, his tone filled with respect.

Just then, a deep bell echoed through the air. Lumberling turned his head toward a tall red pavilion in the heart of the city. Long banners swayed in the wind, each painted with a single black symbol.

'Hmm…? That's a Chinese letter!' Lumberling thought, his eyes narrowing slightly in surprise.

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