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The sea breeze shifted as the Shaders' worn boat drifted into the shadow of iron towers. Techno City rose like a fortress of stone and redstone, its skyline jagged with chimneys, glowing furnaces, and winding rails that hissed with steam. Golems, twice the size of any human, marched in patterns along the docks, their iron frames catching the fading sunlight. The clang of metal was constant, as if the whole city breathed in machinery.
Hunter leaned over the railing, eyes wide. "Look at this place. It's like a blacksmith got bored and decided to build a whole island."
Emily adjusted her spectacles and muttered, "More like centuries of industry and paranoia. You can almost hear the redstone humming in the air."
Vince's hand rested on the hilt of his Nitrox blades. He scanned the dock with calm precision. "Too many guards. Too many eyes. We stand out already."
James smirked faintly, his accent cutting sharp as he folded his arms. "Oh, come on. A crew of misfits arriving in a bucket? We'll be the talk of the market before we even dock. Lovely."
Ryder scratched the back of his neck, trying to calm the goats tied near the stern. "They're nervous," he muttered. "City's too loud." His eyes darted to the towering walls. "And so am I."
Hunter clapped him on the shoulder. "Relax, goat-boy. We're just here to see the sights. What's the worst that could happen?"
As if on cue, a patrol of Miners soldiers passed along the pier, their helmets glinting with polished steel, banners of the Java Kingdom stitched into their cloaks. Their boots struck in rhythm — the sound of order and oppression in one.
"Hunter," Emily hissed, tugging his sleeve. "Keep your mouth shut. If anyone finds out what you called yourself back in Autumnvale—"
He grinned. "A rogue? Relax. Nobody's listening."
But the soldiers' gazes lingered on their ragged boat before moving on. Vince's jaw tightened, and James muttered something under his breath about "idiots tempting fate."
The crew disembarked into the sprawling chaos of Techno City. Market stalls clattered with voices — merchants hawking iron tools, fishers hauling nets, tinkerers selling redstone contraptions that sparked dangerously when tapped. Above the noise, rails carried minecarts full of coal and iron between factories. Children darted barefoot through alleys, and the air was thick with smoke and salt.
It was overwhelming.
Hunter turned in a slow circle, arms spread. "I love it! It smells like adventure!"
Vince scowled. "It smells like soot."
Ryder sneezed. "And goat hair. Thanks, Hunter."
Emily had already slipped into a map shop, muttering about sea charts. James, unimpressed, leaned against a wall and watched the people move, his eyes sharper than his lazy demeanor let on.
But amid the bustle, whispers followed them. The name "rogues" slipped from lip to lip. Some spat it like a curse. Others said it with something almost like awe.
The Shaders were noticed.
And above them, watching from balconies and shaded corners, men in uniforms and cloaks marked their faces, writing their names on unseen ledgers.
Techno City didn't welcome outsiders.
It swallowed them.
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