The cold wind howled, and the thin air at high altitude made breathing painful.
Toka wrapped his cloak tightly, curled up in the seat, only his eyes peeking out to gaze into the distance.
The orange-gold light spot gradually expanded—Ital'ruk.
The Proto-Dragon pierced through the last layer of clouds, and below, the full view of this commercial city suddenly unfolded:
Most striking was the stone tower behind the shrine.
Embedded in the tower's summit was a continuously burning core of light, emitting a soft and persistent orange-gold glow, providing dim light and warmth to the entire town.
In contrast, the shrine itself in the city center appeared much simpler—a building primarily constructed of earth and wood.
The main body was a long, five-column arched hall, but renovation had clearly begun; from a distance, several outer walls could be seen already dismantled.
North of the shrine, a recently completed plaza appeared before their eyes.
The ground was paved with regular stone slabs, with a few uncleared specks of gravel scattered at the edges.
Several wooden walkways connected the plaza to the main entrance of the shrine.
Torches were placed along the walkways, their flames flickering in the night wind.
For the past nine months, this city had rapidly expanded around the Dragon God's shrine.
The population surged from an initial five hundred to nearly two thousand five hundred.
The original neighborhoods could no longer accommodate the flood of merchant caravans, refugees, and pilgrims pouring in.
The newly built districts were mainly concentrated in the South and East.
Many buildings were still unfinished, with construction scaffolding on their roofs and canvas curtains hanging down.
"Smoketop Street" near the West Gate became the commercial center, bustling with activity during the day, with dense market stalls and an endless stream of merchant caravans from all over Northrend.
The North District was clearly divided into three areas: clerical residences, barracks, and the artisan quarter.
The artisan quarter was located on the west side of the North District, making it convenient for artisans to go to the market to purchase materials; clerical personnel gathered in the center of the North District, separating the barracks from the artisan quarter.
It was currently curfew.
The clamor of the streets had long faded, shops were closed, and braziers extinguished.
Only sentinels in leather armor patrolled slowly, their footsteps echoing clearly on the hardened ground in the silent night.
The Proto-Dragon flapped its wings, slowly descending in the night wind.
Finally, they landed steadily on a specially reserved open space in the north of the city—this was a landing platform built specifically for Proto-Dragons, close to the barracks, away from the main street, and most importantly, capable of bearing the weight of a Proto-Dragon taking off.
The moment they landed, the Proto-Dragon let out a low growl, accompanied by a slight tremor of the ground.
Toka gently patted the scales on the back of the Proto-Dragon's neck, whispering: "You worked hard."
Then, he dismounted, stepping once again onto the land of Ital'ruk.
Dividing line. Toka saw Skala the next morning.
He had expected to have to explain why he suddenly returned to Ital'ruk, but to his surprise, as soon as he stepped into the administrative hall, Skala, who came to meet him, had shining eyes.
"I thought you wouldn't make it for the ritual, but you just showed up yourself!"
However, the news Toka brought quickly wiped the smile from his face.
He immediately summoned Gulen and Siye, preparing for a small meeting.
The location was still the meeting room on the west side of the administrative hall, but it had clearly been redecorated.
The walls were draped with black and gold interwoven curtains, and the floor was covered with animal hides and marble slabs, creating a solemn and slightly oppressive atmosphere.
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