The high, narrow mountain passes finally broke open, revealing a sight that made heavy breath catch completely in the throat.
Lin Wan sat near the curtained window of the heavy royal carriage, her gaze fixed on the sprawling horizon.
For days, she had heard the ministers and soldiers speak of the capital in hushed, reverent tones, but the sheer, staggering reality of the Beast City far exceeded any primitive expectation she had harbored.
It was a vertical kingdom of green and gold.
As far as the eye could see, massive, ancient Trees, each trunk easily the size of a modern skyscraper, stretched toward the heavens.
Their colossal branches interwoven to form a secondary canopy floor high above the forest ground.
Built directly into these living wooden giants was a bustling, highly organized metropolis.
Thousands of intricate treehouses, crafted from dark, polished timber, clung beautifully to the massive trunks.
