《Requiem of the Forgotten》 Chapter 1:The End Before the Beginning Prologue The first thing I remember is the silence. Not the kind that soothes. Not the kind that means peace. No¡ªthis silence is absolute. The kind that exists only when something has been erased. I stand at the edge of oblivion. Above me, the sky is shattered¡ªa canvas of black and gold, where time itself fractures and bleeds into the void. The stars have fallen. The sun is gone. Below, the world is a graveyard of memories, crumbling into dust, swallowed by the dark. And at the center of it all, there is a throne. Ancient. Cracked. Built from the bones of forgotten gods. It stands atop a ruin that once held a name¡ªmy name¡ªbut now it is nothing. Just another lost fragment buried beneath the weight of all that came before. A figure sits upon it. A reflection of myself, yet not myself. His eyes are empty. His form flickers, dissolving like mist. His presence devours everything around him, a gravity so immense that even reality bends beneath it. The final remnants of existence collapse into his grasp¡ªreduced to grains of light that swirl at his fingertips. And still, he stares at me. "¡­You came all this way." His voice is layered, overlapping, as if spoken by a thousand versions of him that no longer exist. "Did you find what you were looking for?" I don''t answer. Because I don''t know if I have. Because I don''t even remember what I was searching for. All I know is that everything¡ªeverything¡ªhas led to this moment. The countless lives. The shattered timelines. The cycle that has spun and spun, over and over, devouring itself until only we remain. The weight of it presses down on me. A thousand choices. A thousand regrets. A thousand battles fought and lost, fought and won¡ªonly to bring me here, to this moment, where none of it matters. Where I stand before the end of everything, and the only thing left to do¡ª ¡ªis choose. A step forward. A hand reaching. A final breath. And then¡ª Everything collapses. A rewind. A sky of fire and ruin. A battlefield where gods and monsters fell. A world consumed by shadows, then rebuilt again. A boy standing alone, watching the sky as something unseen begins to stir. A story beginning where it should have ended. And the first words spoken into the void¡ª "¡­This time will be different." Chapter 1: A Quiet World A beep. Then another. Then another. My phone alarm drills into my skull, sharp and relentless. I grope for it on the bedside table, swiping blindly until silence returns. For a moment, I just lie there. I exhale. Another day. A weak glow filters through the curtains, painting the dust motes in pale gold. I watch them drift, weightless and aimless. They seem more alive than I feel. I reach for my phone. No messages. Just news feeds cluttered with talk about some meteor shower happening tonight. People are already posting blurry photos of the sky. Once-in-a-century cosmic event, the headlines claim. I toss the phone aside and drag myself through the morning routine¡ªbrushing my teeth, throwing on a wrinkled uniform, half-listening to my parents argue in the kitchen. Their voices rise and fall, circling the same unspoken concern. Me. I slip out before they can start the daily interrogation. "Are you okay?" "Why don''t you go out more?" "You should try having fun like other kids." Outside, the city hums with its usual noise¡ªcars, conversations, distant construction. Life moves forward, indifferent. I try to pinpoint when I stopped caring about all the commotion, but I can''t. Somewhere along the way, everything just faded into background static. I keep my head down as I walk to school. Other students pass in clusters, talking, laughing, glued to their screens. I blend into the crowd without effort, just another shape in the flow. At the gates, I catch snippets of conversation. "Are you staying up to watch?" "They say it might be huge¡ªlike once-in-a-lifetime huge." "Some people think it''s an omen." I don''t make plans. Don''t see the point. First period is literature. The teacher drones on about poetic symbolism. My gaze drifts to the window, where the sky is stark and clear. Even the birds look more focused than I feel. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. By lunch, the buzz has grown. The meteor shower is on every screen, every tongue. Scientists say it''s bigger than expected¡ªan unusually dense celestial cluster. People are hyped. But me? I''m caught on the same thought I have every day. Why does it feel like something''s off, even when nothing is happening? I push it aside and focus on finishing my meal. No sense in getting lost in cosmic mysteries. School ends without fanfare. I pack my things, slip on my headphones, and head home under a sky shifting toward dusk. A note from my parents waits on the counter¡ªWe''ll be out late. Good. No awkward questions tonight. I drop my bag in the corner of my room and glance at the clock. The meteor shower is still hours away. Normally, I''d scroll through my phone until I fell asleep. But tonight, I just stare at the ceiling¡ªthe same grey expanse I wake up to every morning. The air feels different. Not heavy, not charged. Just¡­ waiting. Like the world is holding its breath. I exhale, tell myself it''s just another night. Nothing''s going to change. I wish I could believe that. But deep down, something whispers¡ªquiet but certain. This night won''t end the way it''s supposed to. And for the first time in a long while, I don''t know if that thought terrifies me¡ª ¡ªor if I''ve been waiting for it. The night deepens. The city''s distant hum fades, swallowed by the stillness pressing in from all sides. Outside my window, the first stars flicker to life, scattered across an endless void. And somewhere beyond them¡ªsomething stirs. I try to ignore the thought. I lie still, staring at the ceiling, my mind drifting in that hazy space between awareness and sleep. A soft vibration pulls me back. My phone. A message. A group chat I forgot to leave. [8:23 PM] Lukas: You guys seeing this? This is insane. [8:24 PM] Emilia: Bro, it''s just starting Chill. [8:25 PM] Lukas: No, I mean the sky looks weird. Like¡­ really weird. [8:26 PM] Noah: tf u talking about A pause. Then, almost on instinct, I push the curtains aside. And the breath leaves my lungs. The sky is alive. The meteors don''t arc gently like falling stars. They carve through the heavens in jagged, erratic paths¡ªsharp, deliberate, wrong. Some vanish midair, blinking out like a glitch in reality. Others linger too long, their trails burning, searing into the night like scars. A weight settles in my chest. I step back. My pulse is steady, too steady, but my body feels¡­ wrong. Like I''ve stepped into a dream just moments before it collapses. Another buzz. [8:31 PM] Lukas: Okay, no, seriously. wtf is happening. [8:31 PM] Emilia: wdym? looks fine to me [8:32 PM] Lukas: Look at the moon. [8:32 PM] Noah: ¡­ I don''t want to look. But I do. And my breath catches. The moon is wrong. Not just slightly off¡ªcompletely, impossibly wrong. It''s too large. Too close. Its surface flickers between clarity and distortion, like a reflection on disturbed water. As if it isn''t real. As if something else is pressing through it, using it as a mask. And then¡ª The sky splits. Not from a meteor. Not from an explosion. Something else. The night peels away, a tear unraveling in the fabric of the world. Beneath it, there is no light, no void¡ªjust an absence so absolute it feels alive. I can''t move. Can''t breathe. The whole world holds its breath. And then, in the silence¡ªsomething whispers. Not from the sky. Not from my phone. Not from the city. From inside me. A voice I don''t recognize. A voice that has always been there. "You remember, don''t you?" My vision blurs. A wave of nausea grips me, like my body is rejecting something buried deep within. Flashes of something old¡ªsomething vast and impossible¡ªflicker at the edges of my mind. A throne. A battlefield. A hand reaching into the void. No. No, no, no. The memories aren''t mine. They can''t be mine. My hands tremble. My head pounds. The room bends and warps. The whispers rise. "You remember." My legs give out. Darkness crashes over me. And in the last moments before it takes me, I realize¡ª This night will not end the way it''s supposed to. It will not end at all. Chapter 2:When the Sky Shatters The first thing I feel is pain. A crushing weight slams into my chest, forcing the air from my lungs. My body screams as if I''ve been hurled against something solid. My head spins. My vision blurs. And then¡ªI hear it. A sound that doesn''t belong. A low, guttural distortion¡ªlike a broken radio transmission, glitching between incomprehensible frequencies. I''m not alone. Something else is in the room. I gasp, rolling onto my side. My arms tremble as I push myself up. My bedroom is still there¡ªbut not completely. The walls ripple like liquid, distorting at the edges, stretching and twisting into themselves. The furniture flickers, as if shifting between different versions of reality, textures peeling away into nothingness. The only thing that remains solid is the floor beneath me. And standing between me and the door¡ª It. The sight of it sends pure instinctual terror through my body. Too tall. Too wrong. Its limbs hang loosely, as if it barely remembers how to hold itself together. Its head tilts unnaturally, stretching its neck too far in one direction. No eyes.No face.No breath. Just a shifting void in the rough outline of a body¡ªlike a tear in reality itself. And it''s looking at me. Or at least, it feels like it is. My muscles lock up, my heartbeat pounds in my skull. I can''t move. It twitches. Then¡ªglitches forward. MOVE. My body reacts before my brain can process it. I lunge backward, scrambling across the floor. The creature jerks forward in a single, broken motion¡ªlike reality itself is struggling to keep up with it. Too fast. I bolt for the hallway, slamming the door shut behind me. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. BANG. The impact rattles my bones. The entire door buckles inward, wood splintering as if something just tried to punch a hole through it. BANG. Another hit¡ªharder. The frame warps, bending at impossible angles. I stumble backward, my pulse hammering in my ears. I have to get out. The kitchen. I turn and sprint down the hallway. The walls seem to breathe, the air thick with something I can''t see. The sirens outside are still wailing¡ªbut something is wrong with them. The sound skips in places, looping, like an old record stuck on repeat. The world isn''t breaking. It''s being erased. I reach the kitchen, nearly slamming into the counter. A weapon. I need a weapon. My fingers fly to the knife rack. The biggest blade¡ªa chef''s knife¡ªgleams under the flickering kitchen light. I grip it tight, my breathing ragged. Then¡ª A skittering noise. My blood runs cold. I spin around¡ª Just in time. The creature lunges through the hallway, limbs snapping in unnatural angles, moving like it''s trying to remember how a body should work. I swing. The knife slashes through its form¡ª No resistance. No flesh. No bone. Nothing. Yet¡ª It reacts. It jerks back, convulsing, its form flickering like a corrupted image on a broken screen. The wound I left behind doesn''t heal. Doesn''t bleed. It just stays open, unraveling at the edges. I don''t think. I stab again. The blade sinks deep. And for the first time¡ªit screams. Not a noise.Not a cry. A distortion. A ripple that shudders through the room, warping the air around it. I yank the knife free as the creature convulses, flickers¡ª And then¡ª It collapses inward, unraveling into strands of static. Then¡ªnothing. I stand there, panting, the knife trembling in my grip. Then¡ª A noise behind me. I whirl around. And see them. Dozens. Some crawl out from the walls. Others bleed into existence from the air itself. Too many. Way too many. I tighten my grip on the knife, my knuckles white. I can''t fight them all. I have to run. I tear through the kitchen, vaulting over the counter. I lunge for the back door¡ª SLAM. The moment my hand touches the handle¡ªsomething hits the glass. A dark, clawed limb presses against it. Outside. They''re out there too?! I twist on my heel, heart pounding. The stairs. The attic. I sprint through the house, dodging the shadows flickering in my vision. The creatures move like broken puppets, twitching between frames of existence. I take the staircase two at a time. A hand shoots out from the darkness¡ª I barely duck in time. The air **glitches where it passes¡ª**like a part of the world was just cut away. Faster. I scramble up the final steps, breath ragged, my legs burning. The attic¡ªI have to reach the attic¡ª Then¡ª BOOM. The house shudders. The air vibrates. And suddenly¡ª Everything collapses inward. Light. Blinding. Overwhelming. It swallows everything. For one impossible moment, I feel weightless¡ªsuspended in a sea of golden radiance. And then¡ª Impact. I crash onto pavement. Pain explodes through me, my nerves screaming in protest. I gasp, struggling for breath. My body aches. And above me¡ª The sky is burning. Not with fire. Not with destruction. With war. Shapes descend from the heavens¡ªwinged figures wreathed in celestial light. Something old. Something absolute. Angels. Their weapons aren''t swords. Aren''t spears. They are reality given form. The moment they appear, the void creatures scream. Not in pain. Not in fear. In rejection. As if their very existence is being denied. They recoil, their forms shuddering¡ª And then the battle begins. I barely have time to think. Barely have time to breathe. Because one of the winged figures lands in front of me. Six wings.A face that isn''t human, but too perfect to be anything else.Eyes that see everything. It looks at me. And in a voice that is neither gentle nor cruel, it speaks a single word¡ª "Run." Chapter 3:Six Months Until the End I have to get out of here. I turn, heart hammering. My legs move on instinct, but the world is breaking too fast. The pavement beneath me isn''t stable anymore. Every step lands on something different¡ªconcrete, wood, glass, nothing at all. Ahead, I see others running. Survivors. Not many. Maybe a few dozen. Some scream. Some don''t even understand what''s happening. One of them vanishes mid-step. Not killed. Just gone. Like a part of the world forgot to exist. The realization slams into me. We''re not being hunted. We''re being erased. A black tendril lashes out beside me, slicing through the air where my arm was a second ago. I don''t think. I dodge, sprinting harder, lungs burning. It''s not enough. The void is closing in. And then¡ª A shadow passes over me. Not from the creatures. From one of them. The impact shakes the air. Golden wings unfurl, their presence alone forcing the void creatures to recoil. The angel lands in front of us. It doesn''t move like the others¡ªit''s not fighting. It''s watching. Calculating. And then it raises a hand. For a moment, I think it''s attacking. But then¡ªthe ground disappears. Not destroyed. Not torn apart. Just¡ªgone. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I fall. My stomach lurches as gravity twists, but I never hit the ground. The light swallows me. I wake up to silence. Not the kind that soothes. The kind that comes after everything is gone. I float. Suspended in nothingness. No air. No weight. No sensation. Just me. Then¡ªimpact. A rush of sensation floods my body¡ªbreath, sound, gravity. And then¡ª Voices. A sea of them. Confused. Panicked. Desperate. I gasp for air, my lungs burning as I push myself upright. My hands press against cold stone. The ground beneath me is real. Solid. But I am not alone. There are thousands of us. Men. Women. Children. Some stand, dazed, others sit, heads in their hands. Some still haven''t woken up. And beyond them¡ª Not humans. I freeze, breath hitching. Elves. Tall, sharp-eyed figures, their golden irises catching the strange light above us. Dwarves. Broad, muscular beings, their bodies etched with glowing runes pulsing faintly, as if whispering forgotten magic. Other things. Creatures I have no name for. Beasts covered in obsidian scales, shadows that move without bodies. Winged, horned, cloaked in strange robes¡ªthings that don''t belong. We shouldn''t be here. And yet¡ªwe are. The sky trembles. Something descends. Not like the angels before. Something greater. It''s impossible to describe. The mind rejects its form. It has six golden wings, shifting constantly, armor that isn''t metal but something far older. And its face¡ª It is not human. Not anything. Just absolute. When it speaks, the air does not vibrate. The world listens. "You were not chosen." The words shake me to my core. "You were saved." A murmur ripples through the survivors. Some fall to their knees, praying, sobbing. Others shout in confusion, demanding answers. But the non-humans are just as shaken. Some whisper in languages I don''t understand. Even they didn''t expect this. The figure raises its hand. The air stills. Then it speaks again. "Your world is gone." A heavy silence falls. Then¡ªshock. Disbelief. Denial. Some scream. Others just stare. My chest tightens. No. That can''t be true. The cities. The oceans. The people who didn''t make it here¡ª My parents. All of it¡ªgone. Something fractures inside me. But the figure isn''t finished. "This world will not survive." The words feel final. Not a warning. Not a prophecy. A fact. A weight crashes over me, heavier than anything I''ve ever felt. "Six months." The crowd stirs. "That is all the time you have." Six months? "In six months, the darkness will come here, just as it did to your world." My blood runs cold. "When it does¡ªthere will be no salvation." The weight of those words crushes everything else. It''s coming. The void.The creatures.The thing that erased Earth will erase this world too. Unless¡ª "You must fight." The figure looks over us all. "All of you beings." "Your fates are now the same." "Unite¡ªor be erased." The world holds its breath. And then¡ª With a final burst of golden light, It vanishes. Leaving behind thousands of lost souls, stranded in a land they don''t understand. Leaving behind me. I stand there, my hands clenched, my mind blank. This world will be erased. Unless¡­ Unless we stop it. But how? How do you fight something that shouldn''t exist? How do you stop the end? I don''t have an answer. All I know is one thing. The clock has already started ticking. Chapter 4:When Nations Are Born The first thing I notice is the silence. Not the calm kind. Not the peaceful kind. The kind that comes when everyone in a room realizes, at the same time, that they''re completely and utterly fucked. I hear breathing. Some heavy, some panicked. A few muffled sobs from somewhere in the crowd. But no one speaks. Because when the angel vanished, it left behind something else. Something inside my head. A pressure. A weight. And then, suddenly¡ª Words. Clear, perfect words. From people who shouldn''t be speaking the same language as me. I turn to the left. A man¡ªprobably late forties, military haircut, wide shoulders¡ªwhispers something under his breath. I understand it. I look to the right. An elf¡ªtall, sharp features, golden eyes that seem to glow faintly¡ªmutters something to another one of its kind. I understand that too. No, wait. That''s wrong. They''re not speaking my language. I''m not speaking theirs. We''re just¡­ understanding each other. Like our brains got rewired without permission. And that''s when everything really goes to shit. "What the hell did it do to us?" "Are we cursed?" "This is unnatural! This is an abomination!" "Shut up!" I wince at the sheer volume of noise as everyone in the gathering decides, all at once, to lose their goddamn minds. Some are panicking, some are furious, and others are just frozen in stunned silence. The elves have retreated slightly, their expressions unreadable. The dwarves¡ªshort, broad, stocky figures with runic carvings glowing faintly on their skin¡ªare already muttering among themselves, calculating something. And the orcs¡­ well, they''re just standing there, arms crossed, watching with a mix of amusement and boredom. Classic. "Enough." Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. The voice cuts through the chaos like a knife. Strong. Clear. Controlled. And, most surprisingly¡­ human. I turn toward the source. A woman stands at the center of it all. Tall. Confident. Sharp blue eyes that hold the kind of intensity that makes you feel like she can see right through your bullshit. Dark brown hair tied into a messy braid, streaked with strands of silver, even though she doesn''t look much older than her late twenties. She''s wearing a mix of modern clothing and something that looks¡­ stitched together. Like she''s been adapting. Surviving. "Lydia," someone whispers. "That''s Lydia." Oh. So she''s important. Lydia steps forward, gaze sweeping across the assembled chaos. "You can fight each other. You can panic. You can pretend you have some control over what''s happening to you. But that won''t change reality." She raises a hand, gesturing toward the land around us. "Look at where we are." And, for the first time, I actually do. Wide, open plains stretch into the distance, meeting dense forests in some directions and rocky mountains in others. The sky is clearer than I''ve ever seen before¡ªno pollution, no city lights, just endless blue and the faintest traces of celestial bodies lingering from whatever event just brought us here. It''s beautiful. And terrifying. "This is our new world," Lydia continues, voice steady. "The angel said we have six months before we''re wiped out. Six months to prepare for something we don''t even understand." She looks at the elves, then the dwarves, then the orcs and reptilian beings standing at the edges of the gathering. "So tell me," she says. "Are we really going to spend that time fighting over who gets to be in charge?" A beat of silence. Then, predictably, someone says, "Yes." I sigh. The arguing goes on for what feels like hours. The humans want their own territory. The elves refuse to be governed by "barbarians." The dwarves won''t commit to anything unless there''s some kind of clear resource benefit. The orcs and reptilians? They''re just waiting, watching, letting everyone else tear themselves apart first. Lydia tries. She really does. She argues for unity, for a single nation where all species can stand together against the coming threat. But not everyone agrees. And in the end, compromises have to be made. By sundown, the map is drawn. Humans ¡ú Northwest. Their own kingdom, their own rules, their own problems. Elves ¡ú Northeast. Untouched forests, ancient ruins, an empire waiting to be reborn. Dwarves ¡ú Southeast. Mountains filled with promise, stone and steel, tunnels leading deeper than anyone dares to go. Lydia & her followers ¡ú Southwest. A mixed land, a new society. A risk, but a chance at something better. Orcs & Reptilians ¡ú The Center. A neutral zone, a crossroads for trade, power, and whatever the hell they''re planning. The first nations of this world are born. And yet¡­ As everyone begins to move toward their new homes, something feels off. Like this was too easy. Like this was exactly what something wanted to happen. "Where are you going?" The question catches me off guard. I turn. Lydia is standing there, arms crossed, watching me with that sharp gaze of hers. And, suddenly, I realize¡ªI haven''t moved. I''m still standing in the center of it all, watching the groups split apart. Watching the future take shape around me. And I have no idea where I belong. The humans? My people, technically, but¡­ something about them feels wrong. Too much pride. Too much desperation. Like they''re already setting themselves up for failure. Lydia''s group? A mix of everything. Uncertain. Unstable. But something about them feels¡­ new. Two choices. Two futures. I open my mouth. I don''t know what I was about to say. Because right then, at that exact moment¡ª The sun finally sets. And the sky turns red. Chapter 5:The Path of Least Resistance The decision was easy. Not because I particularly wanted to be here. Not because I had some great vision for humanity''s future. But because the alternative felt worse. Lydia''s dream sounded nice¡ªtoo nice. A world where races coexisted, where borders didn''t matter, where people actually worked together instead of trying to climb over each other to get ahead. Yeah. That wasn''t happening. Humans, at least, were predictable. I didn''t trust them, but at least I knew what to expect. Self-interest, survival, conflict¡ªboring, but manageable. The other option? A bunch of idealists with no guarantees. Too many unknowns. Too much risk. So I followed the humans. Not because I believed in them. Just because I had nowhere better to go. The first day of walking was slow. Not that I expected anything different. Half of us were barely functioning, running on exhaustion and panic. The other half were trying too hard to act like they had some sort of control over the situation. Spoiler alert: they didn''t. We had no real direction. The sky was clear, the air fresh, but the land was a complete mystery. Grasslands stretched far, eventually giving way to dense forests in the east. In the distance, mountains cut through the horizon, sharp and foreboding. No landmarks. No signs of civilization. Just us. It took about an hour before someone asked the obvious question. "Uh, does anyone actually know where we''re going?" Silence. A few heads turned, some nervous glances exchanged. Then, predictably, someone suggested heading west. "Why west?" another person asked. "I don''t know. It just feels¡­ right?" Great. Our survival plan was now based on vibes. I sighed and kept walking. By midday, the hunger started creeping in. The few who had thought to grab food before everything went to hell had long since finished it. Now, it was just a matter of guessing what we could and couldn''t eat without dropping dead. The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Someone claimed that blue berries were usually safe to eat. Someone else argued that we were in another world, so maybe everything we knew was useless. Someone else tried to start a fire using dry grass and a lot of blind optimism. I found a small bush with dark red fruits, yanked one off, and popped it into my mouth. "Seriously?" A voice cut through the air, sharp and incredulous. I turned to see a guy watching me like I''d just licked a knife to test if it was sharp. Dark hair, glasses, an analytical gaze. Looked like the type of person who read history books for fun. "Figured if it killed me, you''d know not to eat it." I chewed. Tart, but edible. "Guess I''m fine." The guy exhaled like he was reconsidering every choice that led him here. "You could have waited to test it first." "Yeah? How?" "¡­I don''t know. Feed it to a squirrel or something." "See any squirrels?" "¡­No." "Then problem solved." He sighed, muttering something under his breath before jotting something down in a small journal. Meanwhile, another guy¡ªa tall, broad-shouldered one who looked like he could punch a tree in half¡ªjust shook his head. "Reckless," he muttered. I shrugged. "Efficient." That earned me a look, but no further comments. By nightfall, we had a fire. It was small, pathetic, but warm. The group¡ªabout two dozen people total¡ªsat around it in clusters, still unsure if they were supposed to be a community or just a bunch of strangers thrown together. The silence stretched. Then, a girl groaned and kicked a rock into the flames. "Alright. We need to start somewhere. Who the hell are all of you?" She had long dark hair, sharp features, and an air of frustration, like she was already fed up with this world. I respected that. No one answered at first. Then the big guy exhaled sharply. "Nikita. Russia." The girl raised an eyebrow. "That''s it?" Nikita gave a slow, deliberate nod. "¡­Wow. Okay, then." She turned to the guy with glasses. "Daisuke. Japan. I studied history." "Useful," I muttered. He smiled wryly. "More than you''d think. At least I know how civilizations tend to collapse." "Great. Looking forward to that." The girl rolled her eyes. "Carmen. Spain. And I don''t take shit from anyone." "Noted," I said. Next to her, another girl finally spoke. "Amina. Morocco." She was quiet, her expression unreadable, but I could tell she was paying attention to everything. The type to weigh every word before speaking. Carmen gestured at me. "And you?" I exhaled through my nose. "Aleks. Poland. 16." There was a beat of silence. "¡­Oh. A baby," Carmen said, smirking. I deadpanned. "Yeah. And if I''ve made it this far, maybe that says something." Daisuke chuckled under his breath. Carmen just shook her head. "Alright, fine. Guess we''ve got the basics." The night stretched on, and the conversations shifted. Some people talked about home. Others avoided it. Some worried about the next few days, others just wanted to sleep. Eventually, the bigger debate started¡ªleadership. Structure. Rules. Nikita wanted a chain of command. Carmen wanted self-governance. Amina watched them argue without saying a word, while Daisuke tried to balance both sides with logic. I just listened, waiting to see where the cracks would form first. And for the first time in a while, I felt something strange. Not comfort. Not safety. Just the vague sense that, for better or worse, I wasn''t alone in this mess. Chapter 6:Dragontown Two weeks. That''s how long it took for us to stop feeling like refugees and start feeling like¡­ something else. Survivors? Settlers? Or just idiots who didn''t know when to keep moving? Either way, people had settled into a rhythm. The mornings were predictable¡ªsome woke early to fetch water, others checked for food. People talked, people argued, and people worked because they had no other choice. The panic of the first days had faded, replaced by a dull kind of acceptance. But even in all that, I still couldn''t shake the feeling that none of this was real. "Are you gonna eat that, or are you just gonna stare at it?" I blinked and looked down. Some kind of roasted root sat in my hand, its charred skin peeling back to reveal a soft, steaming center. I wasn''t sure if it was edible, but at this point, no one was. We just ate whatever didn''t immediately kill us. Carmen was staring at me from across the fire, her arms crossed. "Dude, if you''re not gonna eat it, pass it here." I sighed and took a bite. It tasted like burnt dirt. Perfect. A few feet away, Daisuke was scribbling something in his notebook. "If we find more of these, we should document where they grow. Reliable food sources are the first step to long-term survival." Nikita, sharpening a makeshift spear, snorted. "And the second step is making sure someone else doesn''t take them from you." Carmen rolled her eyes. "Jesus, you sound dramatic. We''re not fighting over scraps yet." Amina, peeling a fruit in silence, glanced up briefly but said nothing. This was how things had been for days now. Small conversations, tiny victories, people adjusting. Some had already broken off, splitting into smaller groups and heading deeper into the land to form their own settlements. The ones left behind? We were the ones who hadn''t decided yet. The more time passed, the more it felt like I was just going through the motions. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Wake up. Eat. Walk. Talk when necessary. Avoid unnecessary arguments. Try not to think too hard about how I was in a world where elves, dwarves, and other beings existed. A world that didn''t make sense. But the cracks were starting to show. I found myself staring too long at the sky, half-expecting to wake up in my bed, my phone buzzing with an overdue alarm. Or maybe I was already dead, and this was some elaborate afterlife with worse Wi-Fi. It wasn''t just me, either. People whispered at night about how this world didn''t feel real. Like it was too still, too perfect. Like it was waiting for something. I didn''t want to think about what. Then came the decision. "We need to decide." Carmen stood near the fire, arms crossed, her expression serious. "We can''t just keep acting like we''re a temporary camp. Either we move and find something better, or we build something here." Nikita scoffed. "You say that like it''s an easy choice." "It''s not," she admitted. "But it''s still a choice." A few others started chiming in, some agreeing, some pushing back. Daisuke pointed out that civilizations only started once people stopped moving. Amina, as always, remained neutral. I stayed quiet, listening. I already knew my answer. Moving meant more unknowns, more risks. Staying here at least gave us something. Water, food, shelter. But the others weren''t convinced. Arguments continued, back and forth, no resolution. Eventually, one by one, people started giving up for the night. The last thing we tried before that? Finding a name. It should''ve been easy. But somehow, every suggestion turned into an argument. ''New Earth'' was too pretentious. ''Haven'' was too clich¨¦. ''Freedom''s Rise'' made us sound like a bad rebellion faction from a movie. "Screw it," Carmen finally groaned. "We''ll figure it out tomorrow. If no one kills each other by then." "We''ll figure it out tomorrow," Carmen muttered, stretching. "If no one kills each other by then." I lay awake for a long time after that. The fire had burned low, casting flickering shadows over the camp. People slept around me, but my mind wouldn''t shut off. And then¡ª A shadow passed over us. Massive. Slow. Wings. I sat up just in time to see it¡ªa dragon. It soared silently above, dark against the stars, wings stretched impossibly wide as it glided through the night. It didn''t attack. It didn''t land. It just¡­ watched. My breath caught. The others, still half-asleep, started to stir as they noticed it too. Someone gasped. Someone whispered a curse. Carmen groggily pushed herself up. "Tell me I''m dreaming." Daisuke, still blinking away sleep, exhaled a laugh. "Maybe it''s a sign." Nikita rubbed his eyes. "Let''s hope it''s not a bad one." Amina, watching the sky, finally spoke. "Then I guess we know what to call this place." Carmen grinned. "Dragontown." I let out a slow breath, still staring at the sky. "¡­Yeah. Dragontown works." Chapter 7:A Place to Call Home Two weeks had passed since we decided to settle here. Dragontown¡ªor whatever the hell we''d eventually name it¡ªwas starting to feel less like a temporary camp and more like a place where people actually lived. The first few days had been chaos. No order, no leadership, just a bunch of desperate survivors trying not to starve. But humans are weird. Give us a few weeks, and we''ll start building routines, making plans, and figuring out how to complain about minor inconveniences like the ground being too hard to sleep on. This morning was no different. "Hey, we need more firewood," Carmen grumbled as she chewed on a dried strip of some unidentifiable meat. "I nearly froze my ass off last night." "You''d probably freeze less if you didn''t keep stealing the best sleeping spots," Nikita shot back, sharpening a spear. "I''m sorry, do you want to share your dirt with me?" Carmen smirked. Daisuke, sitting on a log, adjusted his glasses. "Technically, body heat is the most efficient way to preserve warmth." Carmen threw a pebble at him. "Technically, shut up." I smirked and stretched, standing up. The sky was clear today, the morning sun actually warming the air a bit. "I''ll go check the perimeter. Make sure no one''s stealing our twigs and leaves." Amina, who had been silently organizing a pile of gathered food, nodded. "I''ll go with you." "Of course, you will," Carmen teased, wiggling her eyebrows. "Gotta make sure your precious Aleks doesn''t wander off and get eaten by a bush." Amina ignored her, but I caught the ghost of a smirk. We left the group behind, stepping past the crude wooden structures we were calling ''houses'' now. If you squinted, Dragontown almost looked like a real settlement. Almost. Then I felt it. A presence. Someone was watching us. I turned my head slightly. Just at the tree line, where the forest thickened, a tall, white-haired figure stood completely still. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Amina noticed, too. "That''s¡­ an elf?" He was taller than most, his hair silver-white, his skin unnaturally smooth, like marble. His eyes¡ªcold, metallic silver¡ªheld no expression whatsoever. I frowned. "Something''s off about him." The elf stepped forward, his movement eerily smooth, like he wasn''t entirely real. His gaze locked onto me like I was a particularly interesting rock he found on the ground. "You are the human leader," he stated. Not a question. A statement. I blinked. "Uh¡­ not really?" "You are," he corrected himself. "Relative to the others." Amina nudged me. "Oh, you''re a leader now?" "Shut up." I turned back to the elf. "Who the hell are you?" "I am Caelith Vaen''Thalor." "Cool. And what do you want, Caelith Vaen-something?" He tilted his head slightly, like he was processing my words. "I am observing your kind." I frowned. "Observing?" "Yes." He paused. "I was¡­ cast out. From my homeland. I sought refuge in Lydia''s territory, but I was not welcome." I glanced at Amina. Lydia was the woman who wanted all races to unite. If even she didn''t want him, something was off. "Why were you cast out?" Caelith blinked, as if the question confused him. "I am an Ascended Elf." "¡­Okay?" He sighed, as if he was dealing with idiots. "One of my kind, long ago, attempted to conquer this world. He believed Elves were the only ones fit to rule. He slaughtered thousands. And when he fell, his final words were a curse upon his own race." Amina folded her arms. "So they exiled you because of something some ancient elf did?" "Yes." "That''s stupid." "Yes." Caelith had zero expression, zero emotion in his voice. It wasn''t arrogance¡ªit was just¡­ blank. I scratched my head. "And now you''re here because¡­?" "I wish to understand." "¡­Understand what?" Caelith met my gaze, silver eyes unreadable. "How humans survive." Silence. Then Carmen, who had apparently followed us, burst out laughing from behind. "Oh my god. That''s the most insulting thing I''ve ever heard." Amina sighed. "Carmen, please." "No, seriously, listen to this guy!" Carmen wiped a fake tear from her eye. "''I wish to understand how humans survive.'' Bro, we''re just built different." Caelith simply stared at her, expression unchanged. "¡­Different from what?" I groaned. "Listen, Caelith. You can stay. Just¡­ try not to be weird about it." "I am not weird." "That''s exactly what a weird person would say." For the first time, his brow slightly furrowed, like he was processing a completely foreign concept. "Then I will adjust my behavior." I sighed. This was gonna be a long few days. That night, after everyone had settled, I found myself lying on my back, staring at the dark sky. Caelith''s words stuck in my head. How do humans survive? It was a simple question, but for some reason, I didn''t have an answer. Survival wasn''t just about food and shelter. It was about¡­ more. About moving forward, even when everything was falling apart. About finding something to hold onto. I sighed, closing my eyes. Maybe I''d have an answer for him someday. But not tonight. Chapter 8:Uninvited Guests Mornings in Dragontown had become¡­ manageable. That didn¡¯t mean they were good. Just manageable. I groaned as I sat up, stretching my sore back. Sleeping on the ground sucked. Sure, some people had started making primitive bedding, but I was still at the ¡®pile-of-leaves¡¯ stage of survival. Not exactly five-star comfort. As usual, I could already hear movement outside. People were busy, either setting up new shelters, gathering food, or complaining about how terrible their current situation was. Progress. I stepped out of my barely-standing wooden shack, rubbing my eyes. Near the fire pit, Carmen and Daisuke were already bickering. ¡°You¡¯re hoarding the good firewood,¡± Carmen accused, pointing at the neatly stacked pile beside him. ¡°I am organizing resources efficiently,¡± Daisuke replied, not looking up from his notebook. ¡°Unlike some people, I plan ahead.¡± ¡°Oh, bite me.¡± I sighed and approached them. ¡°It¡¯s too early for this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s never too early for justice,¡± Carmen shot back, crossing her arms. ¡°Justice for what? Who died and made you queen of firewood?¡± Before she could come up with a snarky response, Amina joined us, holding a few fruits she had gathered. ¡°Aleks, you should probably check on your weird elf friend.¡± My brain stalled. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Caelith.¡± Oh. Right. Him. I turned my head, scanning the camp. And of course¡ª There he was. Still standing in the exact same spot he had been in last night. Motionless. Expressionless. Just watching people as if they were test subjects in some grand experiment. ¡°Has he¡­ moved?¡± I asked. ¡°Nope.¡± Amina popped a berry into her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s kinda creepy.¡± Carmen grinned. ¡°I love how he just showed up, declared himself superior, and then became a glorified statue.¡± I sighed. ¡°Guess I should check on him before someone throws a rock at him.¡± I approached Caelith, who turned his head slightly as I neared. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°You still alive?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Cool. Doing anything?¡± ¡°I am observing.¡± ¡°Right. You said that yesterday. Observing what, exactly?¡± Caelith¡¯s silver eyes flickered toward the camp. ¡°Your species.¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose. ¡°You realize how weird that sounds, right?¡± ¡°I have been informed of this.¡± ¡°¡­And?¡± ¡°I do not understand.¡± Of course he didn¡¯t. Caelith suddenly straightened and spoke in the most robotic tone possible: ¡°I have observed that humans engage in laughter upon waking. Therefore¡ªha. Ha.¡± Carmen dropped her fruit. ¡°Please never do that again.¡± Daisuke adjusted his glasses. ¡°That was physically painful.¡± Before I could explain to Caelith why he was a walking social disaster, I felt it. A presence. I wasn¡¯t the only one who noticed. Amina straightened. Carmen stopped arguing with Daisuke. The air itself felt heavier. And then we saw them. At the edge of the camp, near the treeline, a group of Elves stood watching us. There were five of them. Two with golden hair, one with dark brown, and the other two so eerily similar that I assumed they were twins. Their clothing was pristine, flowing like silk, embroidered with patterns I didn¡¯t recognize. And their expressions? Pure judgment. One of them stepped forward. His golden hair practically glowed under the sunlight, and the way he carried himself screamed ¡®I think I¡¯m better than you.¡¯ ¡°I am Vaelion of the Elven High Council,¡± he announced, loud enough for the entire camp to hear. ¡°And I demand to know why an Ascended Elf has chosen to lower himself by staying among¡­ humans.¡± Oh boy. Caelith stepped forward with his usual, emotionless grace. ¡°I am here of my own will.¡± Vaelion¡¯s lip curled. ¡°That much is clear. The question is why.¡± Caelith tilted his head slightly. ¡°I am studying human survival mechanisms.¡± Vaelion¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°For what purpose?¡± Caelith blinked. ¡°Curiosity.¡± The silence that followed was painful. Vaelion¡¯s eye twitched, as if the sheer stupidity of that answer was physically hurting him. I decided to step in before he had an aneurysm. ¡°Alright, so what¡¯s the real reason you¡¯re here? We don¡¯t exactly get a lot of royal visitors.¡± One of the Elves behind Vaelion, a woman with dark brown hair, stepped forward. ¡°I am Seris,¡± she said, her tone much calmer. ¡°We were sent by the Council to assess your¡­ settlement.¡± I folded my arms. ¡°Assess? You mean, check if we¡¯re dangerous?¡± ¡°Among other things.¡± Vaelion scoffed. ¡°Your kind has spread unnaturally fast. In mere weeks, you have gathered in numbers that threaten the balance of this land.¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°Threaten? We¡¯re just trying to survive.¡± ¡°And in doing so, you consume resources recklessly. Your people have no structure, no hierarchy, no purpose beyond existing.¡± Carmen muttered under her breath, ¡°Wow. Okay. Just say you hate us and move on.¡± Vaelion ignored her. ¡°Your kind breeds conflict.¡± I frowned. ¡°I think you mean ¡®people¡¯ in general. Humans aren¡¯t the only ones with problems.¡± Seris nodded slightly, as if acknowledging my point. Vaelion, however, was having none of it. ¡°You are invaders,¡± he declared. ¡°Your existence here is unnatural.¡± I clenched my fists. ¡°Listen here, you arrogant elf¡ª¡± ¡°Vaelion,¡± Seris cut in sharply. ¡°Enough.¡± Vaelion exhaled through his nose, clearly displeased, but said nothing more. Seris turned back to me. ¡°Our people do not all share the same opinions. Some believe the humans should be left to their own devices. Others¡­¡± She glanced at Vaelion. ¡°Believe otherwise.¡± I raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you?¡± She smiled faintly. ¡°I prefer to make my own judgments.¡± That¡­ wasn¡¯t an answer, but I let it slide. The tension hung thick in the air. Eventually, Vaelion turned on his heel. ¡°We have seen enough.¡± Seris hesitated, then gave me a slight nod. ¡°We will return. Whether as allies¡­ or something else, depends on what happens next.¡± And with that, they left. Chapter 9:Foundations and Forgotten Ruins Mornings in Dragontown were becoming predictable. Not easy. Not comfortable. But predictable. Which was a step up from waking up every morning wondering if some fantasy monster would eat us in our sleep. I sat by the fire, rubbing the sleep from my eyes while Carmen and Daisuke argued about something pointless again. "Look, if you just stack the firewood properly, it won¡¯t collapse every night," Daisuke said, adjusting his glasses like some grand intellectual. Carmen scoffed. "And I¡¯m telling you, I like my wood messy." "That¡¯s what she said¡ª" I started, but Amina kicked my shin before I could finish. "Please, let¡¯s focus on survival instead of terrible jokes." She had a point. As fun as it was to sit around bickering, Dragontown was still nothing more than a glorified campsite. If we wanted to make this place livable, we needed some kind of order. "Any of you ever built a city before?" I asked, stretching my arms. Carmen smirked. "Does Minecraft count?" Daisuke adjusted his glasses. "Technically, urban development is a complex field that¡ª" "Shut up, Daisuke." "Alright, let¡¯s talk priorities," I continued. "We need food, water, and shelter. Which one do we tackle first?" Daisuke pulled out his notebook. "Technically, water should be our top priority. We need a reliable source within walking distance, or we¡¯ll waste too much energy transporting it." Carmen waved him off. "Yeah, yeah. But I¡¯d rather not die from a random wolf attack while looking for it. We need some real weapons." This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. "I can make spears," Amina offered. "And maybe bows, if we find the right wood." Caelith, who had been standing motionless behind us like an eerie statue, suddenly spoke. "You lack all forms of proper resource management. Your efficiency is abysmal." I sighed. "Thank you, Caelith. That was very helpful." He blinked. "You¡¯re welcome." We decided to split up. One group stayed behind to start reinforcing our camp, while my group headed out to find water. Carmen, Amina, Daisuke, Caelith, and I followed the faint trickle of a stream that we¡¯d found earlier, hoping it led to something bigger. "So," Carmen started as we walked. "Anyone else feel like we¡¯re in a bad survival movie?" "We¡¯re in a different world, and you¡¯re worried about movie tropes?" I muttered. She shrugged. "It just feels like the part where we split up, get lost, and then something eats us." Daisuke frowned. "Statistically, staying near fresh water increases our survival chances by 80%." "And statistically, those horror movies always start with some nerd saying ''statistically,''" Carmen shot back. Amina chuckled under her breath. "At least we¡¯re not completely losing it yet." Then, as if on cue, Caelith stopped walking and spoke in that unsettling monotone of his. "There is something ahead." We stepped through the dense brush, and suddenly, the forest gave way to something unexpected. Massive stone structures jutted out from the earth, half-buried beneath thick layers of vines and moss. Some had crumbled into piles of rubble, while others still stood, defying time. It was ancient. And definitely not built by humans. Daisuke¡¯s mouth fell open. "This¡­ This is impossible." Amina ran her hand along one of the walls. "These carvings¡ªthis writing¡­ It¡¯s not Elvish. It¡¯s not anything I recognize." Carmen whistled. "Okay, new plan. Screw water. We just found a freaking lost civilization." I walked up to one of the structures, my fingers brushing against the cold stone. There were symbols etched into the surface, worn by time but still barely visible. "Caelith?" I glanced at the elf, who was staring at the ruins with an unreadable expression. "Any idea what this is?" He hesitated. Caelith. Hesitated. Then he simply said, "This architecture has existed for at least ten thousand years." A heavy silence settled over us. I swallowed hard. "So¡­ What you¡¯re saying is, this place was here before the Elves? Before any of us?" "Correct." Amina exhaled slowly. "That means we¡¯re not the first ones on this planet." A chill ran down my spine. If something lived here before¡­ where did they go? Then¡ª Something moved inside the ruins. A deep, slow scrape. Like stone shifting against stone. We all froze. Daisuke whispered, "Did¡­ did anyone else hear that?" The shadows inside the ruined doorway seemed to pulse. Something was in there. Chapter 10: The First Creation & The Forgotten Guardian Two things became immediately clear the moment we set foot inside the ruins. First, this place wasn¡¯t built by humans, elves, or dwarves. The architecture was too alien¡ªmassive, intricate, carved with precision that felt almost unnatural. The second? Whoever had built it¡­ they were long gone. The air was thick, but not with dust or decay. No, it felt¡­ waiting. Caelith ran his fingers over the walls, his silver eyes narrowing. ¡°This is not a city of elves.¡± ¡°No shit,¡± I muttered, stepping past him. Carmen trailed a hand across a carved mural. ¡°It¡¯s too perfect. These walls should have eroded over time, but they haven¡¯t. It¡¯s like this place is frozen.¡± The hall stretched out in front of us, lined with massive stone pillars covered in symbols none of us recognized. It wasn¡¯t elven script. It wasn¡¯t dwarven runes. It wasn¡¯t even anything close to what humanity had ever written. Amina knelt beside a section of inscriptions, tracing a hand over the carvings. ¡°These markings¡­ they tell a story.¡± I stepped closer. ¡°Can you read it?¡± She hesitated. ¡°Some of it. It¡¯s not a language, exactly. It¡¯s more like¡­ impressions. Meanings carved into stone rather than words.¡± Daisuke crouched beside her, pushing his glasses up. ¡°Then tell us what it says.¡± Amina inhaled deeply and began reading.
We were the First. The First Children. Made in His Image. We were blessed, eternal, untouched by decay. The world was ours. We knew no war. We knew no hunger. We knew no loss. We were loved.
She paused, fingers tightening against the stone. ¡°It repeats that phrase a lot. We were loved.¡± Something about that sent a cold shiver down my spine. Carmen frowned. ¡°Then why aren¡¯t they here anymore?¡± Amina exhaled and continued.
Then the Sky fell silent. His voice, which had always guided us, was no more. We waited. We prayed. We searched the heavens. But no answer came.
The air around us felt heavier, as if the ruins themselves had held onto that silence. A weight, pressing down through time.
And so, we began to unravel. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Not through war. Not through disaster. But through emptiness. Without Him, there was nothing. And so we became nothing.
Daisuke swallowed. ¡°They¡­ just faded away?¡± Amina nodded slowly. ¡°They lost their will to exist.¡± Caelith, silent until now, finally spoke. ¡°A creation without a purpose cannot sustain itself.¡± Something about that made my skin crawl. Because it felt too close to home. A sound echoed from below. A deep, reverberating vibration, like a breath drawn from the depths of time itself. We froze. The air shifted, thickening like a storm about to break. Dust trembled along the stone floor. Something was waking up. My hand tightened around my knife¡ªnot that it would do much against whatever was making that sound. Then, slowly, we moved forward. The descent was slow, the walls narrowing as we made our way deeper. The temperature dropped, but not from cold. It was something else¡ªsomething ancient, something untouched. And at the very bottom, in a massive open chamber, lay him. A dragon. Not just any dragon. The progenitor of dragons. He lay curled at the center of the room, wings folded, scales dull with the passage of time. He did not look dead. He did not even look asleep. He looked like something that had simply stopped moving, stopped existing, but had never quite let go. Then¡ª One eye cracked open. A slitted pupil, glowing faintly in the dark, fixed itself on me. A voice, not spoken aloud but pressed directly into my mind, filled the chamber.
How many years¡­?
I stiffened. Carmen let out a barely concealed curse. Daisuke looked like he was ready to pass out. I forced myself to breathe. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Slowly, the dragon lifted his head, his gaze sweeping over us like someone looking at ghosts of the past.
You are not them.
Aleks: ¡°Yeah, no shit.¡±
Then why are you here?
I hesitated, then said, ¡°We were looking for answers.¡± The dragon regarded me for a long moment before shifting his massive form. Stones cracked under the weight of his body. His wings, once grand and mighty, twitched slightly before stilling again.
You seek knowledge. But do you understand what was lost?
Carmen: ¡°We were hoping you could tell us.¡±
There is nothing left to tell.
The room went silent. Then Amina, of all people, asked, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± The dragon blinked slowly. And then¡ª
Because I could not follow them.
No one spoke. His voice was not bitter. Not angry. Just¡­ tired. Aleks: ¡°So, what now?¡± The dragon studied me. Really studied me, like he was looking straight through my skin, through my thoughts, through every stupid thing I had ever done in my life. Then he closed his eyes again.
You will fight, won¡¯t you? When the darkness comes.
It wasn¡¯t a question. It was a certainty. I exhaled. ¡°Yeah. We will.¡± A long silence stretched before he spoke again.
Then I will fight with you.
No grand speech. No dramatic moment. Just a promise. And somehow, that was enough. We left the ruins, the weight of history pressing against our backs. As we stepped out into the open air again, I glanced back once. The dragon hadn¡¯t followed us¡ªnot yet. But I had the feeling that, when the time came, he would be there. Carmen broke the silence. ¡°So¡­ are we just not gonna talk about the fact that we recruited a damn dragon?¡± Daisuke: ¡°Statistically speaking, this significantly increases our survival chances.¡± Aleks: ¡°I swear to God, Daisuke¡ª¡± Carmen grinned. ¡°Hey, maybe we should put ¡®Dragon Ally¡¯ on our Dragontown welcome sign.¡± I exhaled, shaking my head. Maybe, just maybe, we wouldn¡¯t end up like the First Ones. But something told me¡­ this was only the beginning. Chapter 11 :A Month Later & The Invitation to Topolin A month had passed since Dragontown was officially born. It still wasn¡¯t much to look at¡ªmostly wooden structures hastily thrown together, with dirt roads that turned into rivers of mud whenever it rained¡ªbut it was home. In its own rough, barely functional way. People had settled into routines. Some built. Some hunted. Some just sat around, complaining about how they missed modern plumbing. The world hadn¡¯t gotten any easier, but at least it wasn¡¯t pure chaos anymore. And somehow, we were still here. The morning started like most others. Cold air, distant chatter, the smell of something burning. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was supposed to be food or just an accident. I sat near the main fire, legs stretched out, staring at a crude map someone had scratched into the dirt. It was supposed to show our surroundings, but honestly, it just looked like a three-year-old had gone nuts with a stick. Carmen plopped down beside me, stretching with a groan. ¡°I swear to God, if I have to eat another roasted root, I¡¯m going to start chewing on my own arm.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± Amina muttered as she stirred a steaming pot over the fire. ¡°We¡¯re barely keeping order as it is.¡± Daisuke, sitting cross-legged and scribbling in his ever-present notebook, didn¡¯t even glance up. ¡°Nutritionally speaking, human meat wouldn¡¯t be sustainable in the long term.¡± Carmen blinked. ¡°You know what, Daisuke? I¡¯d really love it if you didn¡¯t start my morning by casually analyzing cannibalism.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡± I sighed, rubbing my temples. ¡°Are we seriously having a conversation about eating each other? This early?¡± Caelith, who had been sitting perfectly still, observing us like we were some rare species, finally spoke. ¡°Statistically, humans do resort to cannibalism in extreme survival situations.¡± Carmen threw up her hands. ¡°Great! Fantastic! Can we not?¡± I turned to Amina. ¡°What are you making?¡± ¡°Something that won¡¯t kill us.¡± ¡°Very specific.¡± The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I try my best.¡± The small talk was cut short by a disturbance at the main path leading into town. A small group of figures approached, their movements controlled and deliberate. Even from a distance, I recognized the flowing robes and elegant posture. The elves were back. I stood up, brushing dirt off my pants. Carmen groaned beside me. ¡°Great. Tall, blonde, and judgmental are back.¡± Daisuke adjusted his glasses. ¡°It was only a matter of time. We are a growing settlement. Political engagement was inevitable.¡± ¡°Daisuke, if you don¡¯t stop talking like a textbook, I swear I¡¯ll throw you in the river.¡± Seris, the more reasonable of the elven delegation, stepped forward, offering a nod. Vaelion, on the other hand, looked like he¡¯d rather be anywhere else. His golden hair was immaculate, his expression as unreadable as ever. But before I could even open my mouth, I realized they weren¡¯t alone. Behind them were more elves¡ªfigures draped in dark, muted tones, their expressions colder, more distant. One of them in particular stood out¡ªa woman with piercing silver eyes and a regal presence that made even Vaelion seem like an afterthought. Caelith, who had been standing beside me like a statue, finally moved. And for the first time since I¡¯d met him¡­ his expression changed. It was subtle, barely noticeable. But for someone as emotionless as Caelith, it was the equivalent of a full-body spasm. The woman regarded him with unreadable eyes. ¡°Ascended.¡± The way she said it wasn¡¯t friendly. Vaelion cleared his throat. ¡°We have not come here for conflict. We bring an invitation.¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Invitation to what?¡± ¡°To the Marktfest in Topolin,¡± Seris answered. ¡°A diplomatic gathering of all major settlements.¡± Carmen frowned. ¡°Wait. You guys do festivals?¡± ¡°It is more than that,¡± Vaelion said impatiently. ¡°Leaders from across the continent will be attending. Including representatives of the dwarves, the orcs, and Lydia.¡± I blinked. ¡°Wait, Lydia¡¯s sending people?¡± Seris nodded. ¡°Lydia has remained neutral, but they have influence. It is an opportunity.¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°To determine the future.¡± That shut me up. There was a long silence. Then, Daisuke muttered, ¡°Statistically, attending this gathering would provide insight into the political landscape of the region.¡± I sighed. ¡°Daisuke, please, for once, stop being a walking encyclopedia.¡± Carmen leaned toward me. ¡°We¡¯re actually going, right?¡± I rubbed the back of my neck. ¡°I mean¡­ I don¡¯t see how we can not go.¡± Seris looked mildly amused. ¡°That is the correct answer.¡± Vaelion, meanwhile, looked like he was resisting the urge to throw something at me. ¡°We will leave in three days. Be prepared.¡± As the elves turned to leave, the silver-eyed woman lingered for just a moment longer, her gaze still locked on Caelith. Then she was gone, her presence like a fading echo. I let out a slow breath. Carmen clapped me on the back. ¡°Well, congrats, fearless leader. Looks like you¡¯re a politician now.¡± I groaned. ¡°I hate everything about that sentence.¡± Amina smiled slightly. ¡°You¡¯ll survive.¡± Daisuke jotted something down. ¡°I estimate a 65% survival rate for diplomatic meetings.¡± I turned to him. ¡°Daisuke, I swear to God¡ª¡± He grinned. ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡± Three days. Then we¡¯d find out where Dragontown really stood in the grand scheme of things. -I had a bad feeling about this. Chapter 12:Election Over a month had passed since Dragontown was officially born. I was sitting by the fire with Carmen, Amina, Daisuke, and Caelith. It had been a long time since we had a moment to just sit down and talk without something urgent looming over us. The night air was crisp, the stars bright, and the conversation¡ªwell, it was all over the place. "Anyone else ever wonder what happened to Nikita?" Carmen mused, tossing a small rock between her hands. "Dude just left with his group, and we haven¡¯t heard anything since." I poked at the fire with a stick. "If he¡¯s smart, he found a nice place to settle before winter hits." Daisuke nodded, pushing his glasses up. "Traveling long distances without supply chains is dangerous. The probability of them establishing a permanent settlement is higher than returning here." Carmen sighed. "I hope he¡¯s okay." Amina smirked. "You liked him, didn¡¯t you?" "Shut up." I let my gaze wander to the edge of town, where the forest loomed. "What¡¯s been bothering me isn¡¯t Nikita. It¡¯s the dragon from the ruins." The group went silent. Even Caelith, who rarely reacted to anything, seemed to focus slightly more on the conversation. "You mean the one we found underground?" Amina said, lowering her voice slightly. "Yeah. That thing was ancient," I muttered. "And we still don¡¯t know why it¡¯s here or what it even wants." "We¡¯re lucky it didn¡¯t kill us on the spot," Carmen added, shaking her head. "I don¡¯t care how many elves or dwarves show up, a dragon is on a whole different level." "Perhaps it is watching us," Caelith finally spoke. His silver hair gleamed faintly in the firelight, his inhumanly sharp features as unreadable as ever. "It has seen civilizations rise and fall. Perhaps it wishes to see what we will become." I exhaled through my nose. "Yeah, well, I¡¯d rather it do that from a distance." Daisuke, now writing something in his ever-present notebook, muttered, "If it wanted us dead, we wouldn¡¯t be here." "Comforting," Carmen deadpanned. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The fire crackled between us, and for a brief moment, there was an odd sense of peace. But it didn¡¯t last. In the distance, a bell rang¡ªthe signal that the gathering was starting. The first real election of Dragontown. The center of Dragontown was packed. People stood shoulder to shoulder, murmuring among themselves. The makeshift stage¡ªlittle more than a few stacked crates¡ªstood in the middle of it all. I folded my arms and scanned the crowd. The atmosphere was tense, a mix of excitement and unease. This wasn¡¯t just about picking a leader; this was about defining what Dragontown would become. One of the older men who had taken on the role of an organizer stepped onto the stage and cleared his throat. "Alright, folks. We all know why we¡¯re here. Dragontown needs leadership, and it¡¯s time we make this place official. The candidates will step up, say their piece, and then we vote. Simple as that." I clenched my jaw. I already knew what was coming. "Aleks should run," Carmen said casually, like she was commenting on the weather. I nearly choked. "Absolutely not." Amina smirked. "Oh come on, you basically run this place already." "I''d rather be eaten alive." Amina raised a brow. "That can be arranged." I groaned. "Why me?" Daisuke shrugged. "You have the most experience handling crises. Leadership is about calculated decision-making, and you excel at that." Carmen grinned. "Look, you¡¯re an asshole, but you¡¯re our asshole. You¡¯re the only person in this town who actually tries to keep things together." I exhaled slowly. "No. If I took charge, I¡¯d screw this up in a week. Pick someone else." Carmen rolled her eyes. "Fine. Then I¡¯ll do it." I blinked. "Wait, what?" Carmen stretched. "Might as well. You know what they say¡ªif you can¡¯t beat ¡®em, run for office." Amina clapped her on the back. "Great. That¡¯s settled." The other candidates stepped forward. A former politician, a merchant, and a religious leader all put in their bids for leadership. "We need structure. Civilization. Laws that ensure safety and order," the politician argued. "Trade is survival. We must make Dragontown the heart of commerce," the merchant countered. "Faith has guided us here. We must choose a path that aligns with the higher purpose that brought us here," the religious leader declared. The crowd murmured in response. Some agreed, others frowned, but everyone listened. Then Carmen stepped up. "Look, I don¡¯t have a fancy speech." She put her hands on her hips. "I¡¯m not gonna promise that I have all the answers. But what I do know is that we built this place with our own hands. We made something out of nothing. And we need a leader who¡¯s not going to get caught up in politics, power, or religion." She let that sink in before continuing. "We need someone who actually cares about the people living here. Someone who¡¯s gonna fight for you, not for their own position. So yeah. That¡¯s all I got." For a moment, silence. Then, scattered applause. It grew until it was a full-blown reaction. I smirked. "Well. That¡¯s one way to do it." Daisuke, for once, didn¡¯t analyze it. "It was a good speech." The voting system was simple. Each citizen would take a stone and place it in a designated box for the candidate they supported. Primitive, but effective. As people lined up to vote, I let out a breath and looked up at the stars above Dragontown. The city had come a long way in just a month. And now, they were about to take their next step. Whatever happened next¡ªthings were about to change. Chapter 13:A Leader Chosen, A Path Decided The morning air was crisp, carrying with it the tension of a decision that would change Dragontown¡¯s course forever. People gathered in the open clearing, standing in uneven clusters, murmuring among themselves. The makeshift stage¡ªa simple wooden platform raised slightly above ground¡ªstood at the center, where Carmen now faced the crowd. She looked calm, but I could tell she wasn¡¯t. Carmen had a presence that drew people in. She was tall, with a strong, athletic build, and dark, shoulder-length hair that always looked like she barely cared for it but still managed to fall perfectly into place. Her green eyes were sharp, confident. And, yeah, she was attractive¡ªnot in a delicate way, but in the kind that made people instinctively respect her. A leader¡¯s kind of attractive. The votes had been cast. The results were in. And here she was, about to take on a role she never asked for. Amina stood near her, arms crossed, unreadable. Daisuke, looking a little too smug, adjusted his glasses while Caelith, as usual, looked like he was witnessing a scientific experiment. Carmen cleared her throat and raised her hand. The crowd quieted down. ¡°Well, shit,¡± she said. ¡°Guess I¡¯m in charge now.¡± There was a beat of silence. Then laughter rippled through the crowd. That was Carmen¡ªblunt as hell. It worked, though. It took the tension down a notch. She took a breath and continued. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not gonna stand here and pretend I have some grand plan. None of us expected to be here, building a damn city from nothing. But we are. And since you guys think I won¡¯t screw this up completely, I¡¯ll do my best not to.¡± Scattered cheers. Some hesitant, some genuine. Not everyone was happy, but at least no one was shouting about a recount. I stood at the edge of the gathering, hands in my pockets. Watching. Listening. Feeling increasingly like I didn¡¯t belong here. Politics? Leadership? That wasn¡¯t my thing. I was just here because I survived. Because I was lucky. And luck runs out. The election was over, but the real work was just beginning. The next step? Diplomacy. ¡°We need to talk,¡± Carmen said, pulling me aside after the crowd had dispersed. I blinked. ¡°Uh. What?¡± ¡°Privately,¡± she added, before glancing at the others. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Amina smirked knowingly. Daisuke made no attempt to hide his curiosity. Caelith just watched in silence, like some kind of robotic owl. Carmen didn¡¯t wait for a response¡ªjust turned and walked towards a quieter part of the settlement. I followed, feeling weirdly self-conscious. It wasn¡¯t that I didn¡¯t talk to her. I did. But being alone with her? That was different. I had never been great at talking to girls, especially not ones like her. Confident. Tough. The kind that had probably never struggled with anything social in their entire life. The kind that made guys like me feel like stammering idiots. I stuffed my hands into my jacket pockets and tried to act normal. Which, knowing me, was a lost cause. Carmen stopped near a stack of wooden supplies, leaning against one casually. ¡°Alright, listen. We¡¯re heading to Seatown first before Topolin. You know that.¡± I nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°We need a plan,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t know shit about politics, and I need you to help me figure out what the hell I¡¯m supposed to say to these people.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Oh yeah, because I¡¯m the picture of diplomacy.¡± Carmen smirked. ¡°No. But you¡¯re smart. And you actually think things through, which is more than I can say for half the people in charge of shit back in the old world.¡± I frowned, unsure whether that was an insult or a compliment. ¡°Fine. What¡¯s the goal here?¡± ¡°Convincing the other human cities we¡¯re worth taking seriously,¡± she said. ¡°Seatown, Gynsk, Delunia¡ªthey¡¯re all run by different people with different ideas. If we don¡¯t make Dragontown sound like a real city, they¡¯ll either ignore us or try to take advantage of us.¡± I sighed. ¡°Right. And what¡¯s our angle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I need help with,¡± she admitted. ¡°You¡¯ve got that whole cynical, sees-through-bullshit thing going for you. So tell me¡ªwhat¡¯s our best bet?¡± I thought about it. ¡°We can¡¯t act like we need them. If we go in looking desperate, they¡¯ll walk all over us. But we also can¡¯t act too cocky, or they¡¯ll see us as a threat.¡± Carmen nodded. ¡°So we find a balance.¡± ¡°Exactly. We present Dragontown as independent but willing to cooperate. We focus on trade¡ªSeatown has the biggest fishing network, Gynsk is focused on agriculture, and Delunia is basically a mining town. We offer them something they don¡¯t have, and we keep things on equal footing.¡± Carmen whistled. ¡°Damn. You really do think about this stuff, huh?¡± I shrugged. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to get screwed over.¡± She grinned. ¡°Then we¡¯re on the same page.¡± Later that day, the preparations for the trip continued. Supplies were packed, routes were planned. And in the middle of it all, the group debated what to bring as a gift for Lydia. ¡°We can¡¯t just show up empty-handed,¡± Amina said. Carmen groaned. ¡°What do we even have? A bunch of wooden tools and questionable alcohol?¡± ¡°We have artisans,¡± Daisuke pointed out. ¡°A handcrafted emblem could symbolize our city.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ actually not a bad idea,¡± I admitted. ¡°A carved dragon sigil or something.¡± Carmen smirked. ¡°See? That¡¯s why I keep you around.¡± I rolled my eyes. ¡°You keep me around because you need someone to make sarcastic comments.¡± ¡°That too.¡± By late afternoon, I was done with the talking. With the planning. With the thinking. I needed to move. I grabbed a spear¡ªroughly made, but good enough¡ªand headed toward the woods. The air was different out here. Quieter. More real. My heartbeat wasn¡¯t drowned out by people talking, by responsibilities, by things I wasn¡¯t ready for. I found a clearing and started swinging the spear, testing its weight. I wasn¡¯t strong. I wasn¡¯t fast. But I could get better. For the first time in my life, I had a purpose. I wasn¡¯t useless anymore. Chapter 14: The Road to Seatown The horses were bigger than I expected. Not just normal big. Massive. Their fur had a faint, almost metallic sheen to it, catching the light in a way that made them look like something out of a fantasy novel. Which, considering our current situation, made sense. Apparently, some of the surviving elves and dwarves had experience domesticating creatures similar to horses on their original homeworld before the darkness consumed it. When they arrived on this planet, they found similar creatures and began the process again. These beasts weren¡¯t exactly horses¡ªat least, not the kind we knew from Earth. They had slightly longer limbs, broader chests, and thicker necks. Faster. Stronger. Wilder. But humans being humans, we took one look at them and went, Yeah, that¡¯s a horse. Amina adjusted the saddle straps on her mount like a professional, completely at ease. The rest of us? Not so much. "This thing is going to fucking kill me," I muttered, staring up at my assigned death machine. Its black eyes met mine with a level of patience I did not deserve. Carmen, who was standing next to a chestnut-colored one, grinned. "If you fall, at least try to land on your head. Maybe it¡¯ll fix whatever¡¯s wrong with you." "Thanks. Real supportive." Daisuke, adjusting his glasses, studied the creature with an analytical eye. "Based on their skeletal structure and musculature, their center of gravity suggests a rider should maintain a balanced posture while¡ª" "Daisuke," Carmen interrupted, deadpan. "Shut up and get on the damn horse." Caelith, the ever-unfazed elf, simply watched as we all struggled to mount up. He moved with eerie grace as he pulled himself onto his horse, perfectly balanced, as if he¡¯d been doing it his entire life. I grabbed the saddle and hesitated. My horse exhaled loudly, as if already regretting its existence. "Alright, fine," I muttered and swung my leg over. For about five seconds, I thought I had it under control. Then the horse moved. "Shit¡ª!" My balance shifted wildly, and I clung to the saddle like my life depended on it. Which, honestly, it did. Carmen cackled. "God, this is the best thing I¡¯ve seen all week." The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Amina rolled her eyes. "Just relax, Aleks. Let your body adjust to the movement." "Easy for you to say," I gritted out, trying to stop myself from immediately flying off. "You actually know what you¡¯re doing." Caelith, watching my struggle, tilted his head. "Statistically, first-time riders have a¡ª" "Don¡¯t finish that sentence." The Journey to Seatown Once we got moving, the initial panic faded. A little. The world around us stretched wide, open fields giving way to rolling hills, patches of dense trees, and quiet rivers. It was weirdly peaceful¡ªuntil you remembered that, in a few months, this whole planet might be fucked. A few hours into the ride, Carmen sighed dramatically. "Are we there yet?" Daisuke checked his notes. "Based on our pace, we should reach Seatown before sundown." "Cool, cool. So, like, five more hours of ass pain. Great." I adjusted in my saddle with a grimace. "I swear, if I survive this trip, I¡¯m never getting on a horse again." Amina smirked. "You said that about running too." "Yeah, well, I stand by it." Arriving in Seatown The first thing I noticed was the smell. Salt. Fish. Damp wood. Seatown was built along the edge of a massive lake, its waters stretching beyond the horizon. Wooden buildings stood in tight clusters, docks jutting out into the water where boats bobbed lazily. Fishing nets hung everywhere, drying under the fading light. People moved through the streets, carrying baskets of freshly caught fish, repairing boats, or just shouting at each other over seemingly minor disputes. It was rough, but it was alive. "Smells like home," Carmen said, wrinkling her nose. "If your home smells like dead fish, maybe rethink your life choices," I shot back. As we rode in, people turned to stare. Some muttered under their breath, eyeing us like outsiders. Others just kept moving, uninterested. It was clear that Seatown wasn¡¯t the friendliest place for newcomers. "They don¡¯t trust us," Amina murmured. "No shit," I muttered. "We probably look like tax collectors." Daisuke adjusted his glasses. "This is expected. A newly formed city like Dragontown will be viewed with skepticism by established communities." Carmen rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. People are assholes. We get it." A man with weathered skin and a thick beard approached. His clothes were stained with salt, and he carried himself like someone who had spent years on the water. "You¡¯re the ones from Dragontown?" he asked. Carmen sat up straighter. "That¡¯s us. Here for the meeting." The man studied us, his gaze lingering on our horses. "You¡¯ll find the others in the main hall. Follow me." The main hall was a simple wooden structure, its interior dimly lit by hanging lanterns. Inside, several figures stood in quiet conversation. Their voices hushed, calculating. A stocky man with thick arms and a serious expression sat at the center. His clothes were simple, but his presence was heavy. Next to him stood a sharp-eyed woman, her posture firm, her gaze observant. And then¡ª I saw him. A tall figure stood near the back, arms crossed, his face half-hidden in shadow. Nikita. I stared. He looked¡­ different. Less rough, more composed. His usual cocky grin was replaced with something more measured, almost calculating. He turned, his eyes meeting mine. And he smirked. "Well, well," he said. "Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you again." I didn¡¯t move. Didn¡¯t blink. The last time I¡¯d seen Nikita, he was just another survivor. Now, he was standing among the city leaders. And I had no idea what that meant. Chapter 15:The Road to Topolin The air inside the large hall of Seetown was thick with the smell of fish and damp wood, a reminder that this place had been built in a hurry, just like everything else in this world. The ceiling beams creaked under the weight of the wind coming from the lake, and dim lanterns flickered, casting uneven shadows on the rough wooden walls. The gathered crowd was tense but controlled¡ªleaders from different settlements, each carrying the weight of their people¡¯s survival. I adjusted my stance, glancing at Carmen, who was standing beside me with arms crossed, scanning the room with sharp eyes. She was clearly taking this whole ¡®leader¡¯ thing more seriously than she let on. Still, I could see the flicker of nervousness in her posture, the slight tightening of her jaw as we stood before the other city leaders. A broad-shouldered man with a thick beard and dark brown skin stepped forward first, offering a firm handshake. "Viktor Petrov," he said in a heavy Russian accent. "Leader of Gynsk. We were from Moscow before all of this." His grip was solid, his expression unreadable. "Your city¡ªDragontown, yes? I hear you''ve made quite a name for yourselves." Carmen nodded, shaking his hand. "Carmen Varela, acting leader of Dragontown. And yeah, we¡¯ve been doing what we can." Next, a middle-aged man with graying hair, sharp eyes, and a military stance extended his hand. "Elias McKenna, head of Seetown. Before all of this, I was a naval officer from the U.S." His handshake was quick and efficient. "We¡¯ve managed to maintain some order here, but food supplies are tight. The lake has saved us, but fishing alone won¡¯t sustain us forever." A woman stepped forward next, her presence quiet but commanding. She had deep brown skin and long, braided hair that fell over her shoulders. Her clothing, though simple, carried an air of dignity. "Naima Bakari," she introduced herself. "I lead Delunia. We have been focusing on agriculture. If our crops survive, we might have enough to trade in the coming months. We were from Kenya before this." Carmen exchanged handshakes with each of them, introducing herself properly as she went. There was no fanfare, no overly formal nonsense¡ªjust names, backgrounds, and an unspoken understanding that each of them was struggling to keep people alive. As the introductions finished, I noticed Nikita standing nearby, arms crossed, watching the exchange with a hint of amusement. "So, Nikita," I said, raising an eyebrow, "how the hell did you end up here, of all places?" He smirked. "Turns out I¡¯m good at keeping people alive. Seetown needed structure, and I had experience organizing supply lines and defense teams. Now, I¡¯m one of McKenna¡¯s right-hand men. General, in a way." Carmen tilted her head. "So you finally found a place where people actually listen to you?" Nikita chuckled. "Something like that." The tension in the room settled slightly. We weren¡¯t just leaders talking politics¡ªwe were survivors trying to figure out what came next. And soon, we¡¯d be leaving for Topolin to face an even bigger challenge. We left Seetown at sunrise. The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and lake water as we rode out of the settlement. The sky stretched vast and endless above us, pale blue with streaks of orange from the rising sun. The landscape ahead was different from what we''d seen before¡ªrolling plains that stretched far, covered in golden grass swaying with the wind. It felt untouched, endless, like a world waiting to be claimed. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "Feels weird leaving a place we just got to," Carmen muttered, adjusting the reins of her horse. "You''ll get used to it," Nikita replied. "We¡¯re all wanderers in this world now." I turned in my saddle, looking back at Seetown one last time. The settlement looked so small from here¡ªjust a collection of wooden buildings huddled near the shore of the great lake, dwarfed by the water¡¯s vastness. It was strange, knowing that this place hadn¡¯t even existed two months ago, yet now it was a home to thousands. We rode southward. The roads, if they could even be called that, were uneven and barely marked. Sometimes we followed old hunting trails left by those who had passed before us. Other times, we simply navigated by sight, using the landscape as our only guide. The continent wasn¡¯t vast, not like Earth, but it was still large enough to feel empty¡ªlike a canvas where life was just beginning to paint itself. I let my mind wander as we moved. The plains soon gave way to thick forests, dense with trees I couldn¡¯t name. They weren¡¯t quite like Earth¡¯s forests¡ªsome had bark that shimmered in the sunlight, others bore fruit with colors too vivid to be real. Birds fluttered between the branches, their calls unfamiliar, alien. Every so often, I caught movement in the undergrowth¡ªsmall creatures, quick and quiet, disappearing before I could get a good look. It was beautiful. Strange. A reminder that this world wasn¡¯t ours. "This place really is something else," Daisuke murmured, his gaze flickering to the treetops. "It feels¡­ too untouched. Like it¡¯s been waiting for something." "Waiting for us?" Amina asked, half-smirking. "Or something worse," I muttered. The journey took most of the day. We stopped briefly to rest and eat, sharing what little rations we carried. The further south we rode, the warmer the air became, though it was never uncomfortably hot. It felt different from Earth¡¯s heat¡ªlighter, less oppressive. Like the air itself carried a different balance of life. By late afternoon, the forests began to thin, and we saw the first signs of civilization ahead. Topolin. Even from a distance, I could tell it was different from Dragontown or Seetown. The buildings were sturdier, taller, made of smooth stone rather than rough wood. The city spread along the banks of a winding river, its waters reflecting the last light of day. Unlike our settlements, which had sprung up in chaos and necessity, this place had been built with purpose. It had structure. I heard Carmen whistle under her breath. "Okay. Gotta admit, that looks¡­ kinda impressive." "It should be," Nikita said. "Topolin was the first settlement to establish order. Lydia made sure of that." I adjusted my grip on the reins, scanning the walls ahead. Guards stood at the entrance, not just humans, but elves and dwarves too. The gates were open, though¡ªwelcoming, not defensive. As we approached, I felt a strange weight settle in my chest. This wasn¡¯t just another stop. This was the place where everything would be decided. Where leaders from all over the continent would gather to plan for the future. And where, whether I liked it or not, I¡¯d have to be part of that discussion. We passed through the gates without issue, making our way into the city. The streets were wider than Dragontown¡¯s, lined with stalls and shops, people moving with purpose. It was more organized, more alive. Yet despite its relative advancement, it was still a city born from survival. Everything here had been built from the ground up, just like us. As we reached the central square, a familiar figure stepped forward from the crowd. Lydia. Her presence was unmistakable¡ªtall, composed, with that ever-watchful gaze that made it feel like she already knew why we were here before we said a word. "You made it," she said simply. Carmen swung off her horse, stretching her legs. "You didn¡¯t think we¡¯d miss the biggest political gathering in history, did you?" Lydia smiled faintly, then turned her gaze to me. "And you, young men? I assume you¡¯ve been enjoying your newfound responsibilities?" I exhaled through my nose. "Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m here because I have to be." She studied me for a moment, then nodded. "Good. Then let¡¯s get to work." Chapter16:Emotions Lydia stood at the entrance of the hall, her golden eyes calm, unreadable. The kind of expression a queen might wear before stepping into a war council. Behind her, the hall loomed¡ªlarger and sturdier than anything Dragontown had managed to build. Thick beams arched over the ceiling, the scent of fresh-cut wood still lingering in the air. Rough banners hung from the walls, some featuring symbols that were clearly unfinished, while others were more refined, their craftsmanship leagues ahead of anything we could manage. It was impressive. Too impressive. Lydia¡¯s gaze swept over us¡ªnot just our group, but also the other human leaders who had traveled with us from Seatown. She gave a short nod before turning on her heel. ¡°Follow me.¡± We entered together. And the moment we did, I felt the silence. Not an ordinary silence. This was deliberate. Heavy. The kind that settled over a room when people had already decided something about you¡ªand you were the last to know. At the center of the hall stood a massive round table. The surface was polished dark wood, almost unnatural in its sheen. The chairs around it were occupied by representatives from every major faction. The humans were seated together. Seatown¡¯s leader sat stiffly, his broad frame and sun-worn skin giving him the appearance of an old soldier. Behind him, Nikita stood at attention, his stance sharp, disciplined. Delunia¡¯s leader, a wiry man with a perpetual calculating expression, drummed his fingers against the wood. Gynsk¡¯s leader, a woman with a face carved by hardship, leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, her gaze flicking between the others. And then¡ªthe Elves. At their center, the Elven King. He was tall, unnaturally so, even for an elf. His robes were deep emerald, lined with gray, his long golden hair cascading over his shoulders like flowing silk. His face was impossibly sharp, elegant, the kind of beauty that didn¡¯t belong to normal mortals. Vaelion stood behind him, slightly to his right, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. Seris stood on the other side, her dark gaze wary, cautious. Further down, the dwarves. Their leader was a thick-browed man with a silver-streaked beard, his arms crossed over his chest, his expression already one of mild impatience. Beyond them, the other races. Orcs. Reptilian beings. A few I didn¡¯t even recognize¡ªsome humanoid, some barely so. And then there was us. The Dragontown group. The air shifted the moment we stepped forward. The Elven King¡¯s gaze barely flicked toward us. Vaelion didn¡¯t even bother to hide his smirk. The dwarven leader exhaled slowly through his nose, as if he had already made up his mind about us. Lydia took her seat. Then, without preamble, she spoke. ¡°Dragontown.¡± That was it. No introduction. No formal welcome. Just one word. Like we were an afterthought.Carmen didn¡¯t let it shake her. She pulled out her chair and sat, her expression smooth, composed. ¡°Thank you for having us,¡± she said, her voice steady. She started strong. She spoke of Dragontown¡¯s growth. How we had built homes, organized defenses, started trade. How people had come together in the face of nothing, creating something that wasn¡¯t just survival¡ªit was progress. She was good. Too good. Which is why the first laugh hit like a knife to the stomach.It wasn¡¯t loud. Just a slow exhale of amusement. Then another. A ripple of chuckles. And then¡ªthe Elven King finally looked at us. ¡°Children.¡± The word landed like a stone. Not an insult. Just a fact. Carmen¡¯s jaw tensed. The dwarven leader let out a short breath, his thick fingers tapping the table. ¡°A city run by teenagers,¡± he mused. ¡°Impressive.¡± The sarcasm was undeniable. Vaelion chuckled softly. ¡°I fail to see why we are here,¡± he said smoothly. ¡°It is one thing to discuss alliances between established cities. It is another to entertain a settlement that is, at best, a temporary camp.¡± Carmen refused to falter. ¡°We¡¯re not asking for permission to exist.¡± The Elven King tilted his head slightly. ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°but you are asking to be taken seriously.¡± The words cut through the air like a blade. Silence. Then¡ªthey tore us apart. They dissected everything. The lack of political structure. The inexperience of our leadership. The unstable economy. The weak military force. The simple fact that every single one of us was under eighteen. It wasn¡¯t an argument. It was a demolition. And the worst part? They weren¡¯t wrong. It had all felt too easy. The founding of Dragontown. The way people fell in line. The sense that we were actually building something real¡ª But the moment we stepped into the wider world, it collapsed. A pit formed in my stomach. The air around me thickened, pressing against my lungs. The walls felt closer, the voices louder, the room tighter. My pulse slammed against my ribs. I couldn¡¯t breathe. Carmen was still speaking. Someone was still laughing. The walls were closing in. I barely remember leaving the meeting hall. One second, I was sitting there, feeling the walls close in, the voices hammering down on us like a relentless tide. The next, I was outside, moving blindly, the night air pressing against my skin like something tangible, something heavy. The world felt muted¡ªlike I was walking underwater, every sound distant, every movement sluggish. Somewhere behind me, I could hear the others gathering around the fire. Their voices were quiet, subdued. No one was celebrating. No one was even talking much. The air was thick, suffocating. I didn¡¯t sit with them. ¡°I¡­ I need a break,¡± I muttered, barely recognizing my own voice. No one questioned it. Not Carmen, not Nikita, not Amina. Daisuke glanced up, but for once, he didn¡¯t say anything. They let me go. I walked. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. And kept walking. I wasn¡¯t going anywhere, not really. Just away. Away from them, from the fire, from the city. Away from everything. My feet carried me toward the treeline, the darkened mass of the forest swallowing me whole. The moment I was inside, the sounds of the camp faded, replaced by the distant rustling of leaves, the occasional snap of a branch. The air smelled damp, earthy, fresh¡ªlike the world didn¡¯t give a damn about the meeting, about Dragontown, about me. I stopped. And then, finally¡ªI broke. The breath left my lungs in a sharp, ragged gasp, my shoulders heaving, my legs suddenly too weak to hold me. I staggered forward and caught myself against a tree, my fingers digging into the rough bark. My head spun. My vision swam. It was never real. The thought hit me like a punch to the gut. It was all a lie. Dragontown. The way everything had come together so easily. The way people had fallen in line, as if we were actually building something real, something that mattered. But it didn¡¯t. Because they were right. We were just kids playing in the sand, pretending we belonged. I pressed my forehead against the tree, squeezing my eyes shut. My hands were shaking. My whole body was shaking. I could still hear them¡ªthe laughter, the condescension, the way they had dismissed us so completely, so effortlessly. They were right. It wasn¡¯t just Dragontown. It was everything. I never processed any of it. The war. The invasion. The destruction. The way the sky had split open, the way the world had been swallowed whole. The way I had stood there, watching as my home¡ªmy life¡ªwas erased. Mom. Dad. I couldn¡¯t even picture their faces anymore. Just blurred images, voices already fading. Because I hadn¡¯t let myself think about them. Not once. Not when we ran. Not when we arrived in this world. Not when we started building. I had kept moving, kept pretending like none of it mattered. Like I was fine. But I wasn¡¯t. I never had been. I gasped for air, but my chest felt tight, like something was crushing me from the inside. My pulse pounded in my skull, too fast, too erratic. The world tilted. I can¡¯t breathe. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms¡ªand then I swung. My knuckles slammed into the tree, sending a sharp jolt of pain up my arm. It wasn¡¯t enough. I hit it again. Harder. Again. Again. The bark split under my fists, rough and unforgiving, biting into my skin. Warmth trickled down my fingers, but I didn¡¯t stop. I couldn¡¯t. I just wanted to feel something real. Something solid. Something that wasn¡¯t slipping through my fingers. I kept swinging, even as my breath came in ragged, uneven gasps, even as my arms trembled from exhaustion. My vision blurred. My knees buckled. I was so tired. So tired. I wanted to stop. I wanted to let go. But I couldn¡¯t. Because if I stopped now¡ªI¡¯d have to face it. All of it. The truth. That I wasn¡¯t strong. That I wasn¡¯t some leader. That I wasn¡¯t anything. That I was just some kid who had lost everything, and there was nothing I could do to fix it. I pressed my forehead against the tree again, breath hitching, blood dripping from my knuckles. The world felt like it was caving in, pressing down on me, suffocating me. I squeezed my eyes shut. I just wanted it to stop. ¡°¡­Aleks.¡± I tensed. The voice was quiet. Measured. Familiar. I turned my head, and through the haze of exhaustion, of pain, I saw him. Caelith. He stood a few feet away, watching me with those unreadable silver eyes. His white hair shimmered faintly in the dim moonlight, his face as expressionless as ever. But there was something different in the way he looked at me. Something almost¡­ careful. I wiped at my face with the back of my sleeve. ¡°What do you want?¡± My voice came out hoarse, raw. Caelith didn¡¯t answer immediately. He stepped closer, his movements deliberate, calculated, as if approaching a wounded animal. Then, finally¡ª ¡°I have not properly thanked you.¡± I blinked. My brain barely processed the words. ¡°What?¡± He sat down beside me, his posture eerily perfect, like he was carved from stone. He didn¡¯t look at me. Instead, his gaze remained forward, unfocused, as if looking at something only he could see. ¡°I have never thanked you,¡± he continued, his tone flat, almost mechanical. ¡°For taking me in.¡± I let out a weak, humorless laugh. ¡°Yeah, well. You never seemed the type.¡± Caelith was silent for a long moment. Then¡ª ¡°I was afraid.¡± My breath caught. I turned to look at him, but he still wasn¡¯t meeting my gaze. His hands rested on his knees, fingers curled slightly, like he was holding something invisible. ¡°I have always been afraid,¡± he said. ¡°But I did not understand what it was.¡± His voice was steady, but there was something beneath it. Something fragile. ¡°I was born unwanted. A mistake. A Rein-Elf is not meant to exist. Our births are accidents, anomalies. Our parents do not wish for us. Our people do not claim us.¡± A muscle in his jaw tightened. ¡°My mother did not want me.¡± He said it like it was nothing. Like it was a fact, not a wound. ¡°But she kept me long enough to teach me one thing,¡± he continued. ¡°That emotions are weaknesses. That I should not have them. That I should not be able to feel them.¡± He exhaled slowly. ¡°She was wrong.¡± The words hung in the air between us. Caelith finally turned his head, meeting my gaze for the first time. ¡°I do not know what my emotions are,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I know what fear is. I have felt it all my life.¡± I swallowed hard, my throat tight. He looked back at the trees. ¡°But when you took me in, the fear lessened.¡± He tilted his head slightly. ¡°That is why I thank you.¡± I stared at him, my thoughts tangled, raw. For a long moment, neither of us spoke. Then, finally¡ªI exhaled. The tension in my chest loosened, just slightly. I wasn¡¯t okay. Not yet. But maybe¡­ maybe I didn¡¯t have to be. Not alone. I pushed myself up, my limbs sore, my hands aching. ¡°Come on,¡± I muttered, nodding toward the camp. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± Caelith studied me for a second, then stood. We walked back in silence. The campfire flickered in the distance, a warm glow against the darkness. The quiet hum of voices drifted through the air¡ªsoft, subdued, nothing like the energy that had once filled our group. I slowed as we neared the clearing, my heartbeat steady but my mind still raw from everything that had happened. Caelith walked beside me in his usual silence, his expression unreadable as ever, but for once, it didn¡¯t bother me. Because I knew now. He felt more than he let on. He was just like me, in his own way. I swallowed, steeling myself before stepping back into the firelight. Carmen sat on a log, arms folded, staring into the flames like they owed her money. Nikita stood with his hands on his hips, tense and quiet. Amina sat with her legs crossed, sharpening a crude knife against a flat stone, her movements slow and methodical. Daisuke had his head tilted back, staring at the night sky as if it would give him answers. No one spoke. Not until they saw me. Carmen was the first to react. Her head snapped toward me, her brown eyes narrowing. In one smooth motion, she stood, crossed the space between us, and grabbed my wrists. Her grip was firm¡ªnot crushing, not aggressive, just steady. But then her fingers tightened. I didn¡¯t realize what she was doing until I followed her gaze. Her expression changed the moment she saw my hands. The skin on my knuckles was raw, torn open in some places, dried blood caking my fingers. Some of it had smeared onto my sleeves. ¡°What the hell did you do?¡± Her voice was quiet¡ªtoo quiet. I pulled my hands back instinctively, but she didn¡¯t let go. Carmen never looked worried. Annoyed? Sure. Pissed off? Always. But right now, the crease between her brows wasn¡¯t irritation¡ªit was something else. Something that made my throat tighten. I opened my mouth, unsure of what excuse I was about to pull out of my ass, but she was already moving. She pulled a strip of cloth from her belt¡ªprobably meant for bandages¡ªand wrapped it around my hands without a word. Her fingers were warm against my skin. Precise. Careful. I could have pulled away. I should have. But I didn¡¯t. She tied the knot a little too tight and exhaled, shaking her head. "You¡¯re a fucking idiot," she muttered, but her voice wasn¡¯t sharp. I forced out a weak laugh. "You''re not the first person to tell me that today." Carmen didn¡¯t smile. She just held onto my hands for a second longer, her thumb brushing over the edge of the bandage. Then she let go. Nikita sighed, shaking his head. "Holy shit, man. You look like you got into a fight with a tree and lost." I snorted. "It was a close match, but I think I won on points." "Sure." He rolled his eyes but didn¡¯t push further. Amina flicked her gaze toward me, her expression neutral. "You know you don¡¯t have to deal with everything alone, right?" Something in my chest twisted, but I didn¡¯t know what to say. Daisuke, who had been unusually quiet, finally lowered his head from staring at the sky. He adjusted his glasses. "There are, better ways to handle stress than punching inanimate objects." I groaned. "Daisuke, I swear to God¡ª" "¡ªI¡¯m just saying." I shook my head, exhaling. The tension in my shoulders eased, just a little. Carmen sat back down, stretching her legs toward the fire. She didn¡¯t look at me when she spoke. "Next time you need to hit something, let me know." I raised an eyebrow. "¡­You volunteering to get punched?" She rolled her eyes. "No, dumbass. I mean, if you wanna throw punches, train properly. Not whatever self-destructive bullshit you just pulled." I stared at her, but she just threw another stick into the fire and leaned back against her elbows. The flames crackled, sending embers into the sky. For a long moment, no one spoke. The weight in my chest hadn¡¯t disappeared. The exhaustion still clawed at me, the doubts still whispered in the back of my mind. But for the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn¡¯t drowning in it. I glanced around the fire¡ªat Nikita, who had somehow become one of the strongest warriors in Seatown. At Amina, who always kept her cool no matter what. At Daisuke, who annoyed the hell out of me but still somehow made things feel normal. At Carmen, whose presence was like a fire itself¡ªburning, untamed, but warm when you stood close enough. And finally¡ªat Caelith, who sat slightly apart from the rest, his silver eyes reflecting the firelight, his expression unreadable. We were all different. Messed up in our own ways. But we were here. Together. I exhaled, my fingers brushing over the bandages Carmen had wrapped around my hands. For the first time in a long, long while¡ª I felt it. A beautiful emotion. Named love.