Fog rolled in, covering the feet of everyone standing in the early morning light, beckoning the approach of something magical. Hundreds patiently waited below the park’s welcoming sign—a massive emberwood tree holding imposing lettering. They watched, with bated breath, as the World Walker strolled down the walkway toward the park’s gates.

  Through the wrought iron fencing, he looked human. He was clean cut, and his hair was a tad long but styled in such a way that the strands stayed away from his eyes. He carried himself with gracefulness and a hint of mirth, almost as if he was attempting to hold back a joke—or maybe his embarrassment.

  He wore a purple suit, a gaudy one with coattails that almost dragged on the loose gravel. In his hand, he twirled a faux golden cane, occasionally using it as a third leg as he marched closer. And march he did.

  Every step, every left of his elegant dress shoes, fog rolled and the ground shook. The early morning sky turned dark; the surrounding trees seemed to enclose. As the World Walker grew closer, the world outside fell away. It was just him and the crowd, magic rending the area, exciting the people. Reality vibrated and the air sang. Trumpets sounded and a distant choir sang.

  The crowds’ thoughts washed away, their fears and stresses of everyday life gone in an instant. Their boring lives suddenly had some thrill—some magic. They all knew and understood what stepping through the park’s gates meant.

  They would be entering a new world. They would be entering the home of the World Walker.

  Luka stepped onto the air, invisible steps leading him above the crowd. He held a small rod in his hand and moved it to his lips as he inspected the crowd. He smiled to himself, then spoke, the nearby grass echoing his words.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, mystics and mages, adventurers and explorers, welcome to our humble slice of the extraordinary—World Walker Park!”

  Unlike most days, the crowd was silent. Normally there was cheering for these words, the very same words he used on day one.

  Luka understood why. He could see why. Near the front of the crowd, a certain demonic journalist stood with his head bowed. Stell Metus of the Sneerhome Chronicle, resident reporter for the park, cursed to forever stare at his feet. He was a demon, a race of people whose red eyes could penetrate a person’s most protective emotions and cause knee-shaking fear.

  Stell also only came around the park on important days—such as the sudden growth of a new world tree.

  “Today marks the start of something special,” Luka said, his voice resonating with the gentle background music. The song came from the nearby bushes, another brainchild of Aunt Sol. How she could bend magic to her will made even the Guilds jealous.

  “Today marks something special.” Luka threw out a hand and parted his illusions somewhat. The dark sky returned to morning, highlighting Ressen in all her massive glory. The tree towered over the area, her canopy wide like a parachute and her leaves as thick as a jungle.

  “Today marks the grand opening of World Tree Inn, World Walker Park’s first and only hotel!”

  A shout sounded from the back of the crowd. Luka briefly looked down, finding a cursing Mr. Todd. The short orc kicked the gravel and made obscene gestures at Luka and Ressen. Todd owned both the bar outside of the park and the inn… meaning, World Tree Inn would be stealing his business.

  I… didn’t think of that, Luka thought to himself. How did I not think of that?

  He shook his head. It didn’t matter right now. He returned the microphone rod to his lips. “World Tree Ressen, daughter of Elven Consort Jear and World Tree Tannin,” Luka decided not to say their full titles so as to speed things along, “has set her roots wide! She also offers once-in-a-lifetime rooms inside her trunk! Fit for a king or emperor, Ressen has graciously hollowed her trunk for World Walker Park guests!”

  With that, Luka set off a trio of illusionary fireworks. They exploded overhead and he couldn’t help but notice how lackluster they were. Next time, we’ll use real ones, he decided.

  “Now!” he continued. “As the World Tree Inn is still new and we have yet to find a proper innkeeper and hospitality workers, Ressen’s trunk will mostly be invite only. Her ground floor will be open to the public where the natural beauty of the World Tree will be on full display!”

  Luka didn’t let the crowd make any noise at this declaration and instead simply moved onto the next, and finale, announcement.

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  “With that, I declare World Walker Park now open!” The iron gates unlocked in time with his words.

  Luka couldn’t help but notice Stell scribbling notes down on a small pad of paper. The World Walker smiled. Now, all he had to do was somehow grab the demon’s attention for a private tour of Ressen’s higher floors without the crowd noticing.

  He did not want a riot today.

  Not after last time.

  ***

  “Pssst!” More than a few eyes turned at Franky. He ignored them and continued, “Pssssst! Stell!”

  Luka watched his friend with his arms bent at the elbows, one arm sticking up toward the sky. He rested his face in his open palm, the trainwreck before him far, far from subtle. He had told Franky to get Stell’s attention quietly, not beckon everyone around the reporter over. When the orc hissed again, Luka hid his eyes behind his hand. Luckily, Stell noticed and ventured over without anyone else following.

  Small mercies.

  Franky stood at the edge of the forest, leaning around a tree, hiding his body from the passing guests. Luka stood a few dozen paces back, waiting. They were near the front of the park before the fork in the road leading into the park or toward World Tree Inn.

  “What is it?” Stell asked impatiently, his eyes tracking the forest floor.

  Franky said, “Luka wanted to talk to you.” He backed deeper into the trees, toward his friend.

  The demon followed, glancing up but for a moment. Luckily, that was enough for him to recognize the park’s creator. “World Walker,” he said cautiously.

  “Luka, please,” Luka said. “We’re friendly enough, even if your last article didn’t paint me in the best light.”

  Stell stiffened, his eyes remaining on the ground. “My editor added that part. He says, ‘saucy opinions bring in the gold.’”

  “Tell him I don’t appreciate it. It was blasphemous.”

  Now, Luka wasn’t one for caring what the gods of this world thought. He did, however, care what the average guest thought. And Stell’s paper equating him to a god in their last issue brought some… annoying trouble from the very devout.

  “You’re creating ‘worlds’ here. Your word, not mine,” Stell replied before sighing. “But you’re right. Calling you a ‘god-wannabe’ was rather foolish of my editor. It brought the Chronicle issue as well. I’ve already let my complaint be known to him and I’ll inform him of yours as well.”

  Luka dipped his head. “That’s all I can ask for.”

  A beat passed. “That wasn’t the only reason you called for me, right?”

  “No—” He fished from his pocket, removing a pair of Earthen-style sunglasses. Luka held them out low, enough for the demon to see and take them. “They’re called sunglasses and hopefully will help with your eye issue.”

  Stell stared at the eyewear. They were light yet made of polished dark granite. Two nearly black lenses sat within the frame, the forest floor visible through them. He ran his fingers along the stone. “Sunglasses,” as Luka called them, were known as “demonshades” in this world. But Stell had never held a pair—they were simply too expensive for a junior journalist.

  “Demonshades…” he whispered almost in awe. “You’re giving me these?”

  “Sunglasses,” Luka corrected. “And yes.”

  He knew this world’s term for them but didn’t rightly care. Sunglasses were a staple of life on Earth, and here they were reserved for only rich demons to counteract the effect of their eyes. While not an amazing solution, Luka found it sick that only a select few demons could live life without the constant fear of terrorizing innocent bystanders.

  He continued, “We’re going to sell them at the park for next to nothing. Well, comparatively, at least.”

  “But—”

  “I figured out how to polarize and darken glass, so these aren’t expensive to make.” Luka could mass produce them just like how he mass produced several other souvenirs the park sold. “And I’m hoping they catch on as a fashion choice. Emberwood is nice, but sometimes the sun can be brutal.”

  Stell was at a loss for words. Franky wasn’t, however, and asked, “Can I have a pair?” Luka smirked, expecting the question. He pulled out a second pair, handing them over. Franky inspected the item and asked, “Do you have them in black?”

  The World Walker chuckled. “Nope.” He slipped on a pair himself—black ones—staring down at his friend slyly.

  Franky pursed his lips and said, “That’s how you want to play? I’m so telling Ren you have a cool new item and to beg you for a pair.” He begrudgingly put on his red granite frames, then spent the next several seconds looking around the forest.

  Luka rolled his eyes and returned his attention to Stell. “They’re made of stone and etched with very tiny lightening and strengthening runes—both on the frames and glass. They shouldn’t break even if you step on them.”

  Stell’s hands shook as he slowly put them on. He stared frozen at the forest floor for a moment before looking up. He hesitated to but eventually met the World Walker’s gaze. Luka was wearing his own pair but pulled them down to stare back at the demon.

  “Good,” Luka abruptly said, sliding them back up his nose. “No fear or ill effects. I just wanted to make sure before selling them to demons.”

  Stell recoiled and he quickly jerked his head down. “You willingly submitted yourself to my gaze? Did you have that much faith in your creation?”

  Luka shrugged. “I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I promised the world to demonkind and failed.” He clapped the journalist on the shoulder. “Hold your head up high, you don’t need to cower anymore.”

  Stell looked up. For the first time in his life, he wasn’t afraid to look into someone’s eyes.

  The human mimicked the smile on the demon’s face. “Come on,” Luka said. “I wanted to give you a private tour of what the World Tree Inn has to offer.”