He walked to the edge of the temple's foundation, facing the gradually gathering residents of Drakof'Alor—Ice Troll farmers finishing their work, curious Furbolg artisans, Dracthyr warriors concluding their training, and students hurrying from the Druid Grove.
He raised his hand, his voice steady and strong, cutting through the clamor of the construction site:
"In the name of the Flame Keeper, Obsidian, the Emberglow Dragon! All believers are summoned to gather before the temple!"
Soon, the crowd gathered, their gazes fixed on him.
"I bring the resolution of the Ital'ruk Council!" Toka's voice echoed clearly through the river valley.
"Firstly, this place, this land illuminated by our Lord's glory and pioneered by our hands, shall henceforth be officially named—Drakof'Alor!"
He deliberately emphasized the end of the name, which in Trollish meant "Dragon's Temple."
A murmur and the characteristic rough shouts of the Ice Trolls rose from the crowd.
"Secondly, Drakof'Alor, along with Ital'ruk and the soon-to-be-rebuilt Gundrak, will become the three major dioceses of our Lord's Church!"
Toka turned, gesturing to the line of priests behind him, "This is the Priest Leader of the Drakof'Alor diocese, appointed by the Church. He will oversee the spread of faith and the construction of the temple here."
A composed, elderly Ice Troll priest, dressed in a black robe with gold embroidery, bowed slightly in acknowledgment.
"Thirdly," Toka's voice took on a sharper edge, "Drakof'Alor is not an end, but a new beginning!"
"We will use this place as our foundation to steadily advance southward! We will bring our Lord's glory, order, and prosperity to the southern coastline!"
He pointed south, in the direction of Howling Fjord.
The Ice Troll warriors straightened their backs, their eyes burning with the desire to conquer new lands.
Expansion meant more land, resources, and glory.
"Fourthly," Toka's tone became even more solemn, "this land, Drakof'Alor, has been resolved by the council to be my fiefdom. I will, along with all of you, protect this place, build this place, and follow our Lord's will until the end of my life!"
Finally, a hint of anticipation appeared on his face: "Fifthly, an invitation from Rhunok, King of the White Mountain."
"One month from now, in the rebuilt Gundrak, the Bear God will hold a formal ascension ceremony!"
"He will raise his divine realm to the heavens!"
"At that time, all believers who wish to witness this sacred moment may attend! This is a manifestation of our Lord's power, the glory of our faith!"
A louder cheer erupted from the crowd.
The naming, the diocese, the expansion, the fiefdom—each item concerned their present lives and future.
And the ascension ceremony of Rhunok, King of the White Mountain, sparked even greater discussion.
The Ice Trolls enthusiastically discussed the revival of Gundrak, while the Dracthyr warriors showed keen interest in the ascension ceremony.
Even the Night Elf squad led by Fandral Staghelm cast thoughtful glances from a distance.
Toka looked at the animated faces before him, and the sense of lingering regret in his heart seemed to lessen slightly.
History might only remember the turning points, but the path beneath their feet was, after all, walked step by step by ordinary mortals like them.
—Divider—
Night enveloped Drakof'Alor.
The day's clamor had settled, leaving only the sound of the wind and the low hisses of the Proto-Dragons.
After handling the handover with the Priest Leader and the troop arrangements, Toka, led by Scale Leader Ambrosa, walked towards a section on the city's edge: Nefarian's temporary laboratory.
After a period of waiting, the vines silently parted to both sides.
Toka ducked into the entrance, and a complex aroma, a mixture of sulfur, arcane dust, herbs, and some indescribable stench, assailed him.
The space inside the cave was larger than expected. The underground section had been hollowed out, and crude stone tables were piled with scrolls, crystals, and strange devices Toka didn't understand.
But at this moment, what caught Toka's eye was not these, but the scene in the center of the laboratory.
Black Dragon Prince Nefarian was not, as usual, hunched over his research or organizing samples.
His massive body seemed a bit—cramped?
He was carefully poking a furry Ice Plain Wolf cub on a stone table with a metal rod.
The cub seemed displeased by the cold touch, wriggling its body and trying to bite the rod.
On another stone table nearby, in a water trough, a small seal was clumsily slapping the water with its flippers.
Most absurdly, in a special transparent container in the corner, several small octopuses were swimming freely.
Nefarian evidently heard Toka's footsteps, but he merely swept away scattered beast-hide scrolls on the ground with the tip of his tail in annoyance.
Without lifting his head, his voice was low, yet it couldn't hide a hint of anxiety: "What is it? If it's not something urgent, like someone stealing dragon eggs, you'd better make it quick."
Toka struggled to suppress the twitch at the corner of his mouth.
He had never expected that this Black Dragon, whom he perceived as powerful and cool, would display such a cramped side.
The contrast was simply too great.
He cleared his throat: "Prince Nefarian, it's about the administration of Drakof'Alor."
"The council has designated it as my fiefdom, but I wish to confirm your wishes."
"As our Lord's apprentice, and the de facto administrator of this place, if you wish to continue controlling Drakof'Alor, I—"
"No, not interested." Nefarian interrupted him bluntly, finally raising his head, his crimson vertical pupils filled with the impatience of interrupted research.
He impatiently flipped open a scroll on the stone table with a dragon claw and continued, "Managing mortal settlements? Overseeing Ice Trolls farming? Listening to Sakares deliver his chuunibyou speeches?"
Nefarian let out an almost groaning sigh, "Spare me. I thought it would be interesting—"
"Those trivial matters are your responsibility now, Knight Commander Toka, future Lord."
"I currently have more 'important' things to worry about."
He gently poked the wolf cub's nose with the metal rod, eliciting an dissatisfied grunt from the little creature.
"If there's nothing else important, please leave immediately!" Nefarian glared at Toka, saying meaningfully.
"I understand, Your Highness." Toka tried to make his voice sound calm and understanding, "You needn't worry about the administration of Drakof'Alor."
"In that case, I wish you success in your research—"
Nefarian merely pawed at the beast-hide scroll with his claw, emitting an indecipherable growl, his gaze returning to the restless little wolf cub, clearly no longer focused on their conversation.
Toka wisely took his leave.
Stepping out of the vine-covered entrance, the cool night air dispersed the mixed odors of the laboratory.
He looked back at the silent area in the night, and thinking of the harried Black Dragon Prince inside, he couldn't help but shake his head, a helpless yet somewhat sympathetic smile on his face.
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