The group of leaders continued walking until they reached the center of the settlement. The area was bustling with life—people moving about, carrying goods, talking and laughing, going about their daily tasks. The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm glow over everything, making the stone buildings and the greenery shine.
In the middle of the square stood a large stone fountain, from which crystal-clear water bubbled up, flowing gently into the basin below. At the center of the fountain rose the sculpture of a massive wolf, its head tilted upward as if howling at the sky, its eyes carved with such detail that they seemed to be alive, watching over the settlement. Behind the wolf, several figures of lycan women stood tall, holding jugs on their shoulders, from which water also flowed, cascading down into the pool in small, gentle streams.
Lars stopped in front of the structure, his eyes wide with curiosity as he looked at it. He walked around it, studying the carvings, the way the water moved, the beauty of the design.
"What is this?" he asked, his voice filled with wonder.
Byron smiled slightly, looking at the fountain with affection. "This is a fountain. We call it the Fountain of Triumph."
The dwarf observed it carefully, nodding his head in approval. "Interesting… it's a beautiful structure. Very well made. The stone is smooth, the carvings are detailed. You lycans have good taste."
He leaned in closer, looking at the water that was flowing so freely. "Can this water be drunk?"
"Of course it's drinkable," Byron replied, his voice calm and confident. "It's clean, pure, safe for everyone to use."
Lars looked around, his brow furrowed in thought. "And where does it come from? I didn't see any river near here. The land around here is quite dry, I thought."
"We don't have rivers," Byron explained, gesturing toward the ground beneath their feet. "We have pipes. The water is brought from the lake area through these pipes, which are buried underground, and then distributed to each of the houses in the settlement. Everyone has access to water whenever they need it."
Lars looked at him with a confused expression, his eyes narrowing as he tried to understand what Byron was saying. Pipes? Water coming from underground? It was a concept that was completely new to him.
"Hey, Claude…" he said, turning to the dragon who was standing beside him. "Did you understand any of that?"
Claude crossed his arms thoughtfully, his eyes looking at the fountain, then at Byron. "I understand the idea… but that's exactly what I wanted to ask you. In the places you told us we can live, there's water whenever we need it… and there's also light during the night."
He looked at Byron with curiosity, his voice filled with wonder. "How do you do that? How can you have water whenever you want, and light when the sun goes down? It's like magic, but I know it's not magic. It's something else."
Byron let out a small laugh, shaking his head at their amazement. "That's human technology. Producing light and transporting water are knowledge that we inherited from the human race. They developed these things over thousands of years, and we've learned how to use them, how to maintain them, how to make them work for us."
"Wow…" Lars murmured, his eyes wide with realization. "That means you can work even at night. You don't have to stop when the sun goes down."
"Exactly," Byron replied, nodding his head. "During the night, it's no longer dangerous to walk through the streets. You must have noticed that."
"Yes," Lars agreed, nodding vigorously. "I saw those strange glowing orbs that give off light. For a moment, it looked like day, but it was the middle of the night. It's quite safe to walk around. I didn't feel any fear, any sense of danger. It's very different from the mountains, where night means darkness and silence, and you have to be careful where you step."
Elbron spoke then, his voice quiet but clear, drawing everyone's attention. "I also noticed it in the settlement that was assigned to me. Thanks to those artifacts, you can walk freely at night. It's… quite productive. You can get more done, more work finished, when you don't have to stop just because the sun has set."
Byron nodded, looking at the dark elf with approval. "Technology helps us live with more peace of mind and comfort. It makes our lives easier, safer, better. It allows us to do things that we couldn't do before, to live in a way that is more convenient, more enjoyable."
Lars stopped suddenly and looked at Byron with a serious expression, his face solemn. "I think I'm going to have a very serious conversation with my council. If we contribute our knowledge… if we share what we know about working with stone and metal, about building things that last… maybe we can also learn some of these technologies. Maybe we can bring them back to our people, make our lives better too."
"I have no problem with that," Byron replied, his voice firm and sincere. "Let's exchange knowledge. That way, everyone wins. We all have something to teach, something to learn. When we work together, we can achieve so much more than we can alone."
The leaders of the clans nodded their heads in agreement, their faces showing their approval of the idea. Even Elbron nodded from behind, a small, almost imperceptible movement, but it was there, a sign that he too agreed with what was being said.
The old elven priestess clapped her hands softly, a warm smile on her face as she looked at the group. "Well… I'm witnessing a historic moment. These old renegades are finally agreeing on something. Who would have thought it possible?"
Everyone laughed, the sound of their laughter filling the square, light and happy. It was a moment of peace, of unity, something that they had not experienced in a long time.
"Maybe we should celebrate it tonight," she added, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Celebrate?" Lars repeated, looking at her with curiosity. "Celebrate what?"
"Of course," the old woman replied, her voice warm and enthusiastic. "Celebrate the fact that so many people now live behind these walls… apparently safer than they are outside. Celebrate the fact that we are working together, that we are finding common ground, that we are building something new, something better. That's worth celebrating, don't you think?"
Elbron raised his hand slightly, his expression serious, drawing everyone's attention again. "Wait. We're forgetting something important."
Byron looked at him, his eyes curious. "What are we forgetting, Elbron?"
The dark elf spoke calmly, his voice steady and clear. "A couple of hours ago, a group of dwarves arrived running… escaping from a demon advance. They were lucky, they made it here safely. But what about the others?"
Everyone tensed up at the reminder, their faces turning serious as they thought about what had happened earlier that day. The danger was still there, it hadn't gone away just because they were safe inside the walls.
"It's possible," Elbron continued, "that they aren't the only group of dwarves who have survived. Remember that the dwarf clans don't live in large communities like we do. They are scattered all over the mountains, in small settlements, in hidden valleys, in caves. They are spread out, far from each other, far from help."
He looked at Lars, his eyes serious. "It wouldn't be strange if other settlements are being attacked right now. If other dwarves are running for their lives, trying to escape the demons, just like the group we saw earlier."
Byron's eyes opened wide in surprise, his mind racing as he realized the truth of Elbron's words. He hadn't thought about that, hadn't considered the possibility that there were other dwarves out there, in danger, needing help.
Claude also understood immediately, his expression grave. "He's right. We can't assume that the group we saw is the only one. There could be dozens of others, hundreds, scattered across the mountains. We have to do something."
Lars fell silent, his face pale with worry. He thought about his people, about the families and friends that he had left behind in the mountains, about the small settlements that were so far away, so vulnerable. He felt a knot in his stomach, a sense of fear and responsibility.
Only the priestess spoke, her voice soft but firm. "Well, Elbron… it seems like you've developed a sense of community. You're worrying about someone who doesn't belong to your own race. That's a big change for you."
Elbron clicked his tongue, looking at her with a scowl, but there was no real anger in his eyes. "Woman, anyone who hears you talk would think that I'm a seven-headed demon who wants to devour dwarves, elves, and lycans. That's not who I am. I just… I see what needs to be done, and I say it. That's all."
Byron spoke then, his voice serious and decisive. "He's right. We can't ignore this. We have to do something."
He stood there for a moment, lost in thought, his mind working as he considered the situation. "I hadn't considered it… but it's a very real possibility. We can't just sit here and wait. We have to go out there, look for the other dwarves, help them if they need it."
Lars nodded his head, his expression determined. "It's true. We dwarves don't usually live in big cities. We prefer small family settlements… of forty or fifty people. We like to be close to the mountains, to the earth, to the places that we know. But that also means that we are more vulnerable, more exposed. If the demons are moving through the mountains, then those settlements are in danger."
"So," Byron asked, looking at Elbron, "what do you propose, Elbron? What do you think we should do?"
The dark elf answered without hesitation, his voice clear and firm. "Form scouting battalions to look for surviving dwarf settlements. Send groups out into the mountains, search every valley, every cave, every place where dwarves might be living. Find them, help them, bring them here if they need to."
Claude added immediately, his voice enthusiastic and eager to help: "We could also send some transformed draconians to fly over the area. From the air, they can see things that we can't see from the ground. They can identify dwarf settlements, spot any signs of danger, and guide the rescue groups to where they need to go. They can cover more ground in a day than we can cover in a week."
Everyone looked at him in surprise, amazed by the idea. It was a brilliant plan, one that would make the search much faster, much more effective.
Lars was the first to speak, his voice filled with admiration and amusement. "Elbron… age really changes people. You used to be so closed off, so focused on your own people, your own ways. But now… you're thinking about others, about what's best for everyone. It's like you're a different person."
He scratched his beard, looking at the dark elf with a playful glint in his eyes. "Are you sure it's really you? Didn't they replace you with someone else? Maybe a clone, or a spy?"
Elbron frowned, looking at the dwarf with annoyance, but there was a hint of a smile on his face. "Damn it… I'm just expressing an idea. Is it so wrong to have a good idea? Is it so strange that I would want to help?"
Laughter erupted around them, loud and happy. Even Elbron let out a small smile, shaking his head at the dwarf's teasing. It was a moment of lightness, of friendship, something that they had not expected, but something that they cherished.
"Well," Byron said finally, his voice serious but also warm. "We'll discuss the plan in today's meeting. We'll figure out how to organize the scouting parties, how to use the draconians, how to make sure that we find as many dwarves as possible, that we help everyone we can."
He looked at all of them, his eyes firm and determined. "We'll meet at eight o'clock tonight. Bring your ideas, your suggestions, your plans. We'll work together to make this happen."
"Perfect," the leaders replied in unison, their voices filled with determination.
One by one, they began to head toward the territories assigned to their respective clans, to their people, to prepare for the meeting, to do what needed to be done.
Only Claude stayed for a moment longer beside Byron, looking at the lycan leader with a playful smile on his face.
"Byron…" he said, his voice filled with amusement. "Do you think that if she promises not to set her companions on fire… my granddaughter can attend classes?"
Byron let out a loud laugh, shaking his head at the dragon's words. He thought about Jade, the little red-haired girl who had defeated Elbron, who had such power and such a temper.
"Excellent idea," he said, his voice warm and amused. "That girl needs to learn some things. She can't go through life burning and electrocuting people without expecting consequences. She needs to learn how to control her power, how to behave, how to be part of a community."
He made a gesture with his hand, waving it off as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "Let her come to the school. She'll be fine. The teachers will know how to handle her, how to teach her what she needs to know. And maybe, just maybe, she'll learn to calm down a little bit."
Claude nodded, looking satisfied, a smile of relief on his face. This time… Byron's answer had been the right one. It was a small thing, but it was another step forward, another sign of the unity and the hope that was growing in New Earth.
Byron watched the people moving through the square, humans, lycans, elves and dwarves sharing the same streets.
Maybe… he thought… this fragile alliance was exactly what the world needed to survive what was coming.