Meanwhile, inside the Gate, Elara continued pushing deeper into Orc territory.
The landscape became increasingly mountainous as enormous stone fortresses appeared one after another, connected by winding roads carved directly into the mountainside. Massive wooden watchtowers overlooked deep valleys, while gigantic bridges stretched between towering cliffs, all built on a scale suitable only for creatures as large as Orcs.
It wasn't the lawless wilderness she'd expected.
There was order, purpose, and civilisation, and though crude, it was undeniably real.
Entire settlements bustled with activity.
Warriors sharpened oversized axes outside barracks. Blacksmiths hammered glowing metal atop colossal anvils, each strike echoing throughout the valleys. Shamans carved glowing runes into towering totems that pulsed with mana. Even young Orcs raced through the streets carrying wooden practice weapons almost as large as fully grown humans.
