Beneath a Dying Sky

"Danny!" Zach's roar echoed through the air as he launched himself after his brother.

His body twisted mid-air, and with an acrobatic precision honed through years of training, he caught Danny by the hand just before gravity could claim him.

Danny, still trembling, felt a sudden, firm grip wrapping around his arm.

He looked up through teary eyes to see Zach, his legs hooked tightly around the bridge's support beams, anchoring them both above the deadly river.

"Hold on to me!" Zach commanded, his voice a mixture of determination and authority.

"I've got you, but you need to trust me!"

Danny didn't hesitate.

He wrapped his arms tightly around Zach's waist, clinging to him with all his strength.

Zach's muscles tensed as he began the arduous climb back up with his legs, his every movement deliberate and powerful, defying the pull of gravity and the danger that loomed below.

Within moments, Zach reached the others.

Tia and Matilda had stopped just shy of the bridge's end, their eyes wide as they watched the brothers.

"Brace yourself, Danny!" Zach warned.

With a final surge of power, Zach coiled his legs before launching Danny upward in a controlled throw. 

Danny tumbled across the ground, rolling to a stop before turning back, wide-eyed and breathless, to watch his brother.

Zach didn't stop.

With a final burst of strength, he propelled himself forward, landing with a solid thud beside Danny. He straightened, his breathing steady despite the feat, and met his brother's gaze with a calm yet protective expression.

Matilda and Tia, shaken by the sight of the near disaster, opted for a safer descent.

They climbed down the bridge cautiously, their fear preventing them from mimicking Zach's bold maneuvers.

Danny, still sprawled on the forest floor, stared at his brother with awe, guilt and gratitude. "You saved me…" he whispered, his voice trembling.

Zach knelt beside him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"You're safe now. That's all that matters." His tone was steady, but the brief flicker of relief in his eyes betrayed how close they had come to tragedy.

...

"Hey, you all have to see this!" Tia's voice broke the silence, pulling Danny and Zach away from their quiet moment together.

Her words echoed through the stillness of the forest as she stepped forward, eyes wide with disbelief.

Matilda stood beside her, her mouth slightly open in shock. She could hardly believe her own eyes.

Danny and Zach exchanged a brief, questioning glance before they joined the others, emerging from the forest's edge. What greeted them was nothing short of breathtaking.

Before them stretched the City of Valthar—a place so alive, so vibrant, it almost felt unreal.

The air hummed with energy, the buildings stood tall and proud, unscathed by time or conflict.

People moved through the streets, their chatter filling the air, their laughter ringing with a sense of safety and joy.

Children zipped by on cycles, their faces lit with unrestrained happiness, while in the distance, a cart drawn by two magnificent horses clattered along the cobblestones, carrying two figures whose faces were just visible over the edge.

The contrast to Vargath could not have been clearer.

In the distance, Vargath looked like a distant nightmare—a place where law and order doesn't exist.

The streets were empty, the buildings ruined and abandoned, with no signs of repair in sight.

No one dared to rebuild.

No one cared to.

But here, in Valthar, the world was alive.

Construction crews worked on buildings that were still rising, their iron structures reaching skyward like trees in a forest.

Workers scurried up scaffolding, their tools clinking against the metal as they forged the future.

The city itself seemed to hum with energy, like an iron heart beating beneath the ground.

In the distance, rising high above the rest of the city, a towering citadel reached toward the sky, its clock face gleaming in the sunlight, marking the passage of time in a place where it seemed to have slowed to a peaceful rhythm.

There were smaller buildings around it, yes, but nothing compared to the majesty of this one.

Its spires stretched up as though they were trying to touch the very heavens themselves.

Above the city, strange ironclad vehicles floated through the air like mechanical birds, their parachute-like wings catching the sunlight, their engines humming faintly.

Goods and people were carried in these airborne machines, the passengers laughing as they soared above the bustling streets.

Children shouted from the air, their voices carrying down like the laughter of angels, their tiny faces illuminated by the sun as they gazed out over the city.

To Danny, Zach, Tia, and Matilda, the sight was nothing short of divine.

Valthar felt like heaven itself, a paradise of technology and civilization in stark contrast to Vargath, a place where life had been slowly suffocated by time, decay, and neglect.

They felt small standing on the edge of this thriving city.

In Valthar, even the clothing seemed to sparkle with newness and style.

Children wore tailored outfits with bright, clean colors, while Zach and Danny glanced down at their own tattered attire.

Zach's brown pants and faded black T-shirt, paired with a worn-out blazer, seemed almost comical here.

Danny's blue shirt was frayed at the cuffs, his black trousers patched in more than one place.

Tia and Matilda weren't faring any better. Their plain brown gowns, once fashionable in Vargath, now looked like discarded items.

They were out of place, their ragged clothes and worn shoes making them look like beggars in this clean, prosperous land.

The realization hit them all at once.

Standing here, on the city's pristine border, they all felt like ****.

Zach stared at the people, so carefree, so carefree in a way that felt alien to him.

Tia swallowed hard, her throat tight with emotion. She had never seen anything like this before. The city felt like a dream, too perfect to be true. 

Matilda said nothing, but her eyes glistened with a mix of awe and sorrow.

The border of Valthar alone teemed with life and activity—workers repairing buildings, children chasing one another, merchants shouting their wares. It was a world so far removed from Vargath, where even stepping outside meant fighting for one's life.

None of them moved closer to the city.

The stark difference between Vargath and this thriving paradise was almost too much to bear.

"It's incredible, isn't it?" Zach's voice was almost wistful as he inhaled deeply, the air clean and fresh, his hand ruffling Danny's hair with an absentminded ease.

For a moment, he let himself be lost in the sight of it all—the towering structures, the lively streets, the bustling city.

Danny stared at the scene in front of him, awe creeping into his thoughts.

"Yeah… it really is something." His voice was soft, almost to himself, still trying to process the overwhelming beauty of the place.

"How could such a city exist?"

But before he could let himself linger in the feeling of wonder, Tia's voice sliced through the air like a cold blade.

"What are you saying, Danny?" she snapped, her tone filled with venom as her eyes burned with bitterness.