The world moved faster than anyone expected.
Only a few weeks had passed since the appearance of the Celestial Tower, yet civilization had already begun reshaping itself around the impossible structure. Roads that once served only local trade now carried endless streams of travelers. Merchant caravans crossed entire continents. Adventurers abandoned comfortable lives in distant cities. Scholars left prestigious academies. Mercenaries sought contracts. Noble heirs pursued glory. Religious organizations dispatched representatives. Every day brought thousands of new arrivals.
And with every arrival, the region surrounding the Tower transformed.
What had once been a temporary military encampment was no longer recognizable.
A city was being born.
The process fascinated Aurelion.
