Five days had passed since the drake had transformed.
Far from Noah's territory, beyond the forest and the decrepit, deserted mall, a massive settlement stood.
High stone walls encircled the town, thick enough to withstand siege beasts and tall enough to discourage aerial predators. Watchtowers, each manned by armored guards, scanned the horizon with a vigilance that had grown more alert in recent days.
Their hands rested closer to their weapons than before. Signal braziers were already prepared, oil-soaked and ready to ignite at the first sign of trouble.
The outer stone bore scars, gouges from claws, scorch marks from old magic, but none had broken it.
Inside those walls, life moved contrary to the walls' battle scars.
