The rift spat them out.
Lyric hit the ground hard, landing on damp cobblestone with a sharp grunt. The air was thick, smelling of burning incense, metal, and something strangely sweet. Bell tumbled beside him, groaning as she rubbed her head.
"Ugh, I'll never get used to that," she muttered, wings flickering unsteadily.
Lyric sat up, frowning. Something was… different. Normally, rift travel made his stomach twist in ways that felt unnatural, leaving him lightheaded and nauseous. But this time? He felt fine. No dizziness, no sickness—just a strange sense of balance.
Bell turned toward him, squinting. "Wait. You're not doubled over and throwing up."
Lyric blinked, pressing a hand to his chest. The shard thrummed faintly under his skin. "I think it did something. It's like… my body just adjusted."
Bell whistled low. "Huh. You're leveling up faster than I expected."
Before Lyric could respond, a sound like thunderous voices clashing together erupted from nearby. He turned his head—
And his breath caught.
The Floating Market stretched before them—an endless maze of twisting alleys, neon-lit bridges, and spiraling towers. The air buzzed with magic and technology alike, merchants shouting in languages Lyric couldn't understand.
It was overwhelming.
The architecture was medieval—stone towers, wooden inns, crumbling alleyways—but it was mixed with futuristic modifications. Metallic plating lined ancient walls, glowing glyphs hummed over doorways, mechanical platforms hovered between buildings.
And the sky…
Lyric slowly looked up. There was no sun. No moon. Just an infinite sprawl of stars stretching into nothingness.
Then he looked to the city's farthest edge—
It just ended.
Beyond the last street, the ground vanished into a black void. This place wasn't part of a planet. It wasn't attached to anything.
It simply floated between dimensions.
Bell let out a low whistle. "Yup. This is the Floating Market."
Lyric swallowed, his mind racing. "Where… where even is this place?"
Bell shrugged. "Nowhere. Everywhere. It exists between worlds. You won't find it on a map." She turned to him, suddenly serious. "And it's dangerous. We need to keep a low profile."
Bell hovered closer, lowering her voice. "Listen, I can't blend in. But you? you can."
Lyric frowned. "Why?"
"Because" Bell muttered. "Pixies are rare. Pixies made from the Wisdom Goddess? Practically nonexistent. If anyone figures out what I am, we'll have bounty hunters up our—"
Lyric tilted his head, considering something.
Bell immediately narrowed her eyes. "What?"
Without answering, Lyric reached out and gently cupped her in his hand.
"Hey—wait, wait, what are you—?" Bell squirmed but didn't resist as Lyric carefully tucked her into his pocket.
"Just stay hidden for now," he said. "It's temporary."
Bell grumbled, adjusting herself. "This is humiliating."
"You'll live," Lyric said, smirking slightly.
From inside the pocket, Bell's muffled voice muttered, "I swear, if I hear one 'fairy in my pocket' joke, I'm biting you."
Lyric chuckled softly and stepped forward into the crowd.
The moment he merged with the crowd, Lyric was swallowed whole by the chaos of the market.
The streets were packed with creatures of every imaginable form. Some looked human. Others had glowing eyes, extra limbs, tails, or were wrapped in shifting cloaks of mist.
Vendors shouted over each other, bartering and trading everything under the stars. Lyric passed a floating cart selling plasma-coated swords, a stand where jars of glowing liquid pulsed with trapped magic, and a machine shop where someone was welding armor using blue fire.
It was incredible. It was overwhelming.
As he passed a row of stacked crates, a tattered parchment flapped against a rusted metal post, barely clinging on. At first, Lyric didn't pay it any mind—just another faded wanted notice among dozens—until his eyes caught something familiar.
A rough sketch of a wolf-headed man. Grey fur, scarred arms, and piercing green eyes.
Oboe?
The writing beneath was mostly illegible, smeared from rain and time, but he could make out enough. "High bounty… wanted for… multiple charges… dangerous individual… capture dead or alive."
Lyric's chest tightened.
Oboe always joked that he had enemies everywhere—but seeing his face plastered in a place like this sent a strange unease through him.
Then he saw the cages.
Lyric's steps faltered.
Behind thick, reinforced bars, humanoid figures huddled together, silent and vacant. Some had fur, horns, or shimmering skin. Others looked… disturbingly human.
A low, dull rage settled in his chest.
His fingers curled into fists.
Was Chime somewhere like this? Stolen. Sold. Waiting in a cage for someone to decide her worth in currency?
Bell's muffled voice snapped him back. "Lyric. Keep walking. Now."
He exhaled sharply, forcing himself forward.
After wandering through rows of vibrant stalls, Lyric stopped outside a shop selling weapons and armor.
He glanced down at himself—his shirt was torn, his boots scuffed, his pants slashed from his fights in the maze and the beach battle. He looked like a beggar.
He sighed. He needed gear.
He stepped forward—then froze.
Right. He had no money.
Lyric turned away, irritation bubbling in his chest. "This is going to be harder than I thought…"
Bell peeked out from his pocket, finally free. "Well, obviously. You need a way to make money."
Lyric glanced at her. "And how do I do that?"
Bell grinned. "Easy. Join the Explorer's Guild."
Lyric gave her a blank look. "The what?"
Bell sighed dramatically. "It's an organization that hires idiots like you to do dangerous jobs."
Lyric frowned. "What kind of jobs?"
She started counting on her tiny fingers. "Exploring new uncharted dimensions, killing monsters, working as hired muscle for different factions—"
Lyric narrowed his eyes. "Wait. People just… do that?"
Bell shrugged. "People are cowards. If a new dimension opens, no one wants to risk going in first. They'd rather pay someone else to do it."
"So it's mercenary work," Lyric muttered.
"More or less," Bell confirmed. "And the higher your rank in the Guild, the more dangerous—and better-paying—jobs you get."
Lyric hesitated. "…Does that include travel?"
Bell grinned knowingly. "Yes. Some missions send people to different dimensions."
That sealed it.
Maybe someone there had seen Chime.
They reached the Guild's entrance—a towering stone structure lined with glowing banners.
Through the open doors, Lyric caught glimpses of armored warriors, robed mages, and mercenaries gathered at tables, drinking, arguing, and boasting about their victories.
He paused at the threshold.
This was it.
His first real step into something bigger.
He took a breath—
And stepped inside.