Few days after the battle of Gorkaki, repairs to the city have already begun. The evacuated population has returned to the capital, and in a few months, everything should return to normal.

The carcass of the elder purple worm and other war beasts, as well as the bodies of the undead and mutants from the hordes that survived the dragon king's flames, are being collected for study. The undead Vadod is responsible for the disposal and reuse of the bodies. Finally, with so many corpses available, he will be able to proceed with his project to create a necropolis full of undead.

The living trow war beasts have been sent to the gremlin workshops for study. There is a good chance they will be tamed and used by the empire.

The trow Lady Ferin, who led the combat against the Eskiran trows on the western front (Ul-Gak, The Vrared, and Vermekh), and the cougarlin Arana, who led the eastern front (Maz, Druma, and Kudrukh), have arrived in the capital for war reports. Joining them is the priest Latharon II, who has just returned from the Northwest tribes where he served as an empire emissary.

Across the continent, the last remaining forces of the trows continue to be pursued and pushed back into the Forest of Kasvil. The passages to Eskira hidden by the forest are soon to be sealed.

The Druma Expanse remains occupied by empire troops to ensure that the barbarian beastmen will submit. Kudrukh has already been incorporated into the empire. The ogres and trolls from that region seem not to mind politics as long as it does not interfere with their way of life. The lizardmen of the Kudrukh swamps would be more difficult to deal with, but the assistance provided by the empire troops during the trow raids greatly influenced the decision of these scalians. Not only because of the empire's demonstration of goodwill but also because of the display of strength.

The same can be said to have happened with the Northwest tribes. It became clear that fighting against the Dragonlord was fighting a losing war. The wisest course of action would be to negotiate good surrender terms, as Vermekh did.

Not even the Goblin Hero, who held a vicious opinion against the Dragonlord, protested against surrender. The time he spent in Gorkaki gave him the dimension of what they would face if they decided to go to war against Akalani.

Just two months after the end of the trow raids, the Northwest tribes succumbed to the Empire pressure and accepted submission.

A parade was held in the city of Sluyagh to receive the ruler of all Dro-Ur, the beast that defeated the Lords of Eskira and slew the Derinkork. The Dragonlord Akalani.

Gathered in the capital of the Buyagh were representatives from the Kroa tribes and the Woods of Mof. They came to witness, for the first time in the city's history, an elf crossing its gates.

Of course, it wasn't a real elf, but rather a wyrm disguised as one.

The people of Buyagh watched the majestic parade somewhat apprehensively. Most of them had never seen an elf in their lives, but they had heard many stories about dragons. Some had even had the misfortune of crossing paths with lesser dragons. Now imagine knowing that a greater wyvern will be their ruler from now on?

It's no wonder the goblins of Buyagh were so nervous. And that's why Akalani's first appearance to them was in his elven form. Unlike the cities in the southern and southwestern regions of the continent, which were occupied by elves, there was hardly any elven presence in the northwest. While in cities like Ialdai and Vermekh, the elven shape is the least suitable to show to their subjects, in the northwest cities, it is less problematic than the draconic form.

The celebration in Sluyagh ended with the announcement of a monumental project: a road connecting practically the whole continent. It would start from Rioka, in the Woods of Mof, and follow the route that Priest Latharon I and his followers took on their march to the city of Gorkaki. 

The Kobolds' Road. 

Only the most isolated cities, such as Stroi and Glerzang, would not be interconnected by the road.

The news left the public perplexed. Such a construction seemed impossible, unfeasible. A road that would cross the Druma Expanse, the Desert of Maz, the swamps of Kudrukh...

Seeing the audience becoming restless with the news given by Latharon II, His Majesty steps forward and addresses the crowd.

"People of the Northwest tribes, you should no longer fear this land. Your time of isolation is over. Go and explore all of Dro-Ur. The sands and oases of Maz, the dense jungles of Ul-Gak, the murky waters of Kudrukh, and the prairies of Darog where unicorns graze. If you wish, you can even go see the snow on the peaks of Korath, and the dragoness will do no harm to you if you bear my symbol.

The Kobolds' Road will be the symbol of unity of this land and my gift to you. For all of Dro-Ur is under my wings now, and there is nothing I cannot do."

The restlessness of the goblin crowd turns into relief for many and even excitement for some.

The era of the Dragonlord was beginning anew.

 

§ § § § § §

 

Upon returning to Gorkaki, a new parade was in preparation after the repairs in the city. A parade much larger than any other ever held.

The celebration of Akalani's 75th birthday and the 38th anniversary of the founding of the Kingdom of Darog, which would give rise to the Empire of Dro-Ur.

At the event, a new version of the Council of Folks would also be presented. Expanded to accommodate representatives from the various regions and peoples of the continent, the council now resembles a parliament with a total of 24 members.

Not only were all council members summoned to the Grand Parade, but also intelligent beasts that submitted to the Dragonlord. Roc birds, lesser dragons, arachne spiders from Kasvil, thunder boars, the other herds of unicorns from the continent, and many others. 

All the mighty beasts of Dro-Ur bowed before Akalani.

It is rumoured that even Korath will leave her mountains to attend the event and acknowledge the Dragonlord's authority over the continent. The rumor is that the dragoness and the emperor have some sort of agreement.

Even delegations from outside Dro-Ur are expected to participate in the celebration. The oni from the Shogunate of Hanami, the dragonmen from the Council of Imalor, and the black elves from Shandor are on their way to the Grand Parade.

The dragonmen come from Imalor, a nation located north of Dro-Ur, and possibly one of the oldest nations in the world.

Even further to the north lies the Oni Shogunate of Hanami. The oni, as the cambions are called in Hanami, conquered the country in the early crusades fought by the armies of the Demon King Balmeroth. Since then, cambions from various regions of the world have migrated to Hanami.

And to the southwest of Dro-Ur lies the elven nation of Shandor. The black elves of Shandor, much like the goblinoids of Dro-Ur, harbor a great hatred for the synalari, the high elves of Synalarion.

Representatives from these isolated nations, cut off from the rest of the world, came to Gorkaki with various intentions. But the common beacon that drew them here was the demonstration of power carried out by Akalani.

 

§ § § § § §

 

On the day of the parade, rocs and thunderbirds flew over the skies of Gorkaki. The flapping of their wings echoed throughout the city. Infantry of goblins and beastkins marched, followed by bands, floats, and a procession of unicorns shooting fireworks from their horns.

On the main float, one could see the allegory of a wyvern defeating a giant purple worm. In the others, there were other figures who fought in the war. Among them were the orc shamaness Sarak, the trow mage Salutar, and the Goblin Hero.

The audience watched in wonder.

The square in front of the castle would be the final stop of the parade. There, not only humanoid spectators were present, but also various giant beasts. Among them was Korath, lying on a huge palanquin while watching the festivities. Several kobolds served the dragoness as if she were an honored guest. And indeed, she was.

On the balcony of the castle, His Majesty appeared to greet his subjects. Akalani wore a luxurious crimson outfit adorned with threads of gold. To the surprise of many, he was in his elven form.

Many in the crowd were puzzled. They did not recognize who he was. Where was the Dragonlord?

Some even realized that he was an elf. Not a Merenil or Shandor elf. But an elf from the old world. A synalari.

But before more suspicions could be raised, Akalani's voice echoed through thaumaturgy throughout the square.

"Citizens of Dro-Ur… Many of you weren't even born when I founded this kingdom. I remember like it was yesterday the first time I set foot in this city. A squalid village with a handful of goblins, struggling to survive in a cruel world.

I then promised your ancestors safety and prosperity under my rule. A life away from misery. And they accepted. Since then, Gorkaki has grown to become the capital of the continent. And now the whole continent of Dro-Ur has finally been unified.

But the time will come when the world will discover that this land is no longer a lawless wasteland, but rather a prosperous nation. And covetous eyes will look upon us with greed.

Everyone here fought against the hordes of Eskira. More hordes will come, but this time from the sea. And just like the Lords From Below, these new invaders will fall by my flames.

They will learn, just like the Lords of Eskira, that there are no slaves in Dro-Ur, only servants of the Dragonlord.

And I am the Dragonlord. And no one can withstand my crimson flames."

Before Akalani could finish his speech, a disturbance in the city's airspace was noticed. An unauthorized flying creature was crossing the skies of Gorkaki, breaking through all the protection barriers that the conjurers and artificers had raised after the war, as countermeasures for possible future aerial invasions.

He serpentined through the skies at high speed, heading towards the central square. His silver scales were covered by what seemed to be black armor that protected some parts of his body. The back of his body was adorned with a crest of turquoise blue feathers, and around his neck hung a cord with a sword sheathed in place of a pendant.

The creature began to circle above the central square until it approached the balcony where the Emperor was standing.

Akalani immediately recognized him.

The coward Renxing had finally decided to show his face.

With a bestial roar, the Emperor leaped from the balcony while transforming. Those who had any doubts now had certainty that the elf was indeed the Dragonlord.

But before a fight could ensue in front of the crowd, Renxing began to twirl in the skies as his body began to transform. The loong dragon gained a human appearance, similar to that of a Dinan warrior. The armor covering part of the dragon's body transformed into black armor. The sword-shaped pendant turned out to be a sheathed jian sword.

Still gliding through the air, the warrior approached the Dragonlord and spoke:

 

"Evil dragon Akalani, once again we meet. And now we must settle our unresolved matters."