It had been two weeks since the grand opening of Serpent's Run, and the summer crowds showed no sign of slowing down. Every day, the gates opened to a rush of color and chatter, guests streaming toward the Jungle Zone before the morning mist had even lifted from the lagoon.
Lucas walked the park before opening, the early sun painting the paths gold. Explorer's Zone was already alive with the whir of motors and the faint laughter of ride operators doing their checks. He passed Max Around the World—the cars clattering gently over their test track—then the Discovery 16, its arms stretching in slow rehearsal.
At the edge of the plaza, the familiar whistle of Tiny Rails sounded.
The miniature train curved past a toy pyramid and a tiny windmill, sunlight glinting off its polished brass rails. Children were already queuing with their parents, pointing at the colorful locomotives.
Lucas stopped to watch, a faint smile tugging at his lips. It was the first attraction he'd ever built here—small, bright, and simple. Yet even now, it carried the same spirit of exploration that had inspired everything that followed.
He glanced further down the path, toward the open grassland beyond the trees. From here, you could see where the park ended: a low fence, then empty fields stretching to the horizon. The park already owned part of that land, a buffer of meadows used for staff access and storage. But beyond it lay farmland—flat, untouched, full of potential.
He could almost picture it: winding paths, rooftops glinting in the sun, the sound of something new roaring in the distance. Not yet. Not today. But one day soon.
For now, his focus was clear.
The next milestone wasn't out there in the fields—it was here, in Explorer's Landing. The dark ride. The one that would prove that Elysion Park could tell stories as powerfully as any park in the world.
He turned away from the fence, notebook already in hand. The pages were filled with sketches from the past week—temple corridors, statues, strange glowing symbols. The concept for Legends of the Lost Realm was taking shape faster than anything he'd ever done.
And this time, he wasn't just making it real.
He was making it his.
The system shimmered faintly in his vision as if it could sense his determination.
> [Project file ready: Dark Ride – Explorer's Landing Expansion.]
[Next step: supplier selection and proposal meeting.]
He smiled. "ETF Rides," he murmured. "Let's see what you think of this."
"Design Meeting"
The conference room above the maintenance workshops still smelled faintly of paint and coffee. Rolls of paper covered the long oak table—maps, building permits, early drafts of façade sketches. A half-assembled model of the expedition hall sat in the center, surrounded by empty coffee cups and mechanical pencils.
Emma was already there when Lucas arrived, tablet in hand, a slideshow looping quietly on the screen: images of other dark rides—Mystic Manor, Symbolica, Enchanted Tale of Beauty and the Beast. She paused the reel when Lucas stepped in.
"Everything you asked for. Ride systems, budgets, and notes from the tech department."
Walter followed a moment later, a stack of blueprints tucked under his arm. "I still think you're mad for attempting something this complex indoors," he said with a grin. "But I like mad ideas."
Lucas spread his drawings across the table. The top sheet showed the façade: half museum, half ancient ruin, the roofline cracked open by carved stone faces. "We've proven we can build fast and believable. Now I want to build something timeless."
He flipped to the floor-plan sketch.
"Each vehicle moves independently," he explained, tracing with his finger. "No rails. They dance around each other—sometimes meeting, sometimes separating. The story isn't told in straight lines but in moments. Guests aren't passengers; they're explorers who stepped into a living legend."
Walter studied the plan, whistling softly. "Trackless, then. That's ETF's specialty."
Emma nodded. "They'll love the ambition. But we'll need a presentation that feels finished, not just visionary. Do we have renderings yet?"
Lucas tapped his laptop. The projector hummed to life, and the room flooded with golden light. On the wall appeared a full-color render: the expedition hall by sunset, banners fluttering, vines creeping over the stone façade. The image shifted—the doors opened, revealing a glowing portal and a storm of dust and light inside.
Neither Emma nor Walter spoke for a long moment.
Finally, Emma smiled. "You did these?"
He nodded. "Every frame."
Walter chuckled. "You've been holding out on us, Lucas."
Lucas looked at the image again—his image—and for the first time, he didn't deflect the praise. "This is what I see when I close my eyes. And this time, I want to build exactly that."
Emma leaned forward, her tone practical again. "Then we prepare a proposal. ETF will need technical specs, projected throughput, and storyboards. I'll handle the scheduling and contact their rep in the Netherlands. You handle the vision."
"I can do that," Lucas said.
Walter grinned. "Then it's settled. Let's show them what Elysion Park can really do."
As the meeting wrapped up, Lucas gathered his sketches, sliding them carefully into a portfolio. For the first time, he didn't feel like he was running a park.
He felt like he was creating one.
The ETF Ride Systems complex buzzed quietly with motion.
Through the glass walls, forklifts moved between partially assembled vehicles while engineers adjusted sensors on a spotless test floor.
Inside the main conference room, Lucas spread his blueprints across the table. Emma connected her laptop to the screen, bringing up the header slide:
Elysion Park – Explorer's Landing Expansion: "Legends of the Lost Realm."
Martin de Vries, ETF's project director, leaned back in his chair.
"So—Serpent's Run was a hit. What's next for Elysion?"
Lucas pointed at the render on screen. "A fully indoor dark ride. Story-driven, exploration-focused. We want to work with your trackless platform."
Emma slid forward the first schematic. "Nine vehicles total, eight passengers each. Three expedition routes running in parallel—A, B, and C. Each route shares the preshow and finale but has unique mid-sections. Think of it as three expeditions exploring different wings of the same discovery."
One of the engineers raised a brow. "So three sets of scenes, three show timelines?"
"Exactly," Lucas said. "Three independent programs, each with its own triggers and lighting. No choreography between vehicles. They act like separate teams investigating the same site."
Walter added, "Three vehicles per route keeps dispatch even—every twenty-five seconds per station. If one route pauses for maintenance, the other two keep running."
Martin nodded slowly. "Nine total is a solid rhythm. Guests get variety, and operations stay predictable."
He flipped a few pages. "Let's talk numbers."
Emma opened the budget sheet. "System and control, roughly fourteen million. Building and infrastructure eight. Scenic work twelve. AV and special effects four. Preshow and finale two. Contingency three. Total package: forty-three million euro."
Martin glanced at his team. "Ambitious, but within reason. You're aiming for physical theming over projection mapping?"
Lucas nodded. "Mostly practical sets. Real stonework, lighting, water, and dust effects. Projection only for transitions—so it stays believable ten years from now."
"Good," Martin said. "ETF can handle nine base vehicles with modular showcontrol. You'll need a strong integrator for the media systems; we can put you in touch with several."
Lucas smiled faintly. "I'd appreciate that. We want this to be our benchmark attraction—something that defines what the park stands for."
Martin closed the binder. "Alright then. We'll prepare a full quotation and a motion-study proposal within two weeks. If your board signs off, we can lock production for next spring."
Lucas offered his hand. "Let's do it."
When the meeting ended, the three of them stood by the glass wall overlooking the test floor. One of the prototype ETF vehicles rolled past, sensors flashing blue in the quiet hall.
Emma folded her arms. "Nine vehicles, three expeditions, forty-three million euro." She smiled. "That's the biggest project we've ever approved."
Lucas watched the test vehicle glide into a turn. "It's worth it," he said. "Every guest will feel like they found something no one else has."
For the first time, it didn't feel like a dream anymore.
The next chapter of Elysion Park had just begun.