The seasons had turned, summer's heat giving way to autumn's first chill as the quarter-year of construction transformed empty fields into the skeleton of a city.
The builders worked tirelessly under Cedric's watchful eye, their shovels biting into the rich soil as they marked the boundaries of the city's foundation. Elias moved among the laborers, his sharp voice cutting through the din of clinking tools and grunting workers. "Keep those stakes straight! We're building a city, not a crooked fence!" he barked, earning a few chuckles from the crew.
Cedric crouched beside the lead builder, unrolling a detailed map of the territory. The parchment crackled as it settled on the ground, its edges weighed down by stones. "The housing district here," Cedric said, tapping a spot on the map. "Higher ground, better drainage. We'll need to clear those trees first."
