The sun was hidden behind a layer of white clouds, a common occurrence for the inhabitants of Skyreach, but the out-of-season soft snowfall did not happen every day.
The flakes danced slowly through the thin, chilled air, gently settling on ledges, railings, and the shoulders of passersby who rarely bothered to look up.
Still, day-to-day life in the massive city carried on without pause. Far below the clouds and walkways, the common people went about their daily routines, heading to their work towers, workshops, and service sectors.
The wealthy, meanwhile, indulged themselves in layers of elevated comfort, from watching duels fought between trained champions to gambling over board games or savoring the finest cuisine the empire could offer, served in glass-walled lounges high above the street.
In one of the city's towering high-rise hotels, an opulent structure of white marble, glass, steel, and gilded walkways, a wide-open balcony overlooked the lower city spires.
