What could be accomplished in a month?
In Kroq-Gar’s previous life, a month had been enough to finish an entire campaign.
Start a new game.
Fight from beginning to end.
Slaughter his way through the storms of Chaos.
Watch the ending cinematic.
Then choose another faction and do it all over again.
But this wasn’t a game anymore.
Now, one month was enough to turn two ruins into two fortresses.
Starting with the First City.
The First Week: The First City
The sound of stonecutters echoed from dawn until dusk.
Kroq-Gar stood atop the ruins of the city’s tallest pyramid and looked down upon everything below.
One month ago, he had awakened here.
Back then, the entire city had been dead.
Collapsed pillars.
Dormant Geomantic currents.
The shattered remains of temples buried beneath countless vines.
Only the crude Skink Spawning Pool and the army he had started with offered any proof that life still existed within the ruins.
Now…
The city was awake.
The first structures to be rebuilt were the Skink Spawning Pools.
Not one.
Two.
The First City was simply too large.
The distance between the northern and southern districts stretched for more than ten li.
A single spawning pool couldn’t possibly meet the city’s needs.
The northern spawning pool was constructed within a partially collapsed underground temple.
The Skink craftsmen opened a circular hole through the temple’s damaged dome, allowing sunlight to shine directly upon the spawning pool below.
While cutting through the stone, the craftsmen made an unexpected discovery.
The temple had originally been a spawning complex dating back to the age of the Old Ones.
Ancient glyphs covered the bottom of the pool.
They had endured thousands of years of Chaos corruption, yet after the craftsmen carefully cleansed them, the glyphs still functioned.
Some of them were so ancient that even Tekuna couldn’t recognize them.
Their script belonged to an age long before the language used by modern Skinks.
So old that only scattered fragments of understanding remained within Kroq-Gar’s inherited memories.
“The Old Ones carved these themselves.”
Kroq-Gar crouched beside the pool.
One claw gently traced the ancient markings.
Tekuna stood behind him.
The Skink Priest said nothing.
He simply crouched before the relics of the Old Ones.
For once, his constantly shifting eyes became completely still.
He was as silent as stone.
The southern spawning pool was constructed entirely from scratch.
The craftsmen dismantled an entire ruined wall.
Every usable block of stone was transported south, where the Skinks followed the ancient blueprints and rebuilt the structure piece by piece.
Kroq-Gar spent half a day watching them work.
They had no cement.
No cranes.
Only ropes.
Crowbars.
And the brute strength of Saurus Warriors.
When a one-ton block of basalt needed to be raised into position, eight Saurus Warriors lifted it together while chanting in deep, guttural rhythm.
Their movements were so perfectly synchronized that they might as well have shared a single mind.
The afternoon the spawning pool was completed, the Skink craftsmen raised a flag upon its roof.
There was no cloth available.
Instead, they wove vines into a circular emblem and hung it from a pole.
The circle represented the serpent of Sotek.
Next came the Saurus Barracks.
Again, two of them.
One in the north.
One in the south.
Constructing the barracks proved considerably more difficult than building the spawning pools.
Most of a spawning pool existed underground.
A barracks was different.
It required a training ground.
An armory.
Living quarters large enough to accommodate one hundred Saurus Warriors.
Excavating the foundations for the two barracks alone took two full days.
When the Skinks dug three meters underground, they discovered something unexpected.
The foundations of the city’s original barracks.
The bluestone foundations had somehow survived the occupation of Chaos almost completely intact.
Only a layer of black fungal growth covered the surface.
The craftsmen scraped away every trace of corruption.
Then they began rebuilding directly upon the original foundations.
It saved them at least three days of work.
On the night the northern barracks was completed, Kroq-Gar stood outside its entrance and lit a torch.
There was no ceremony.
He simply felt like doing it.
The fire illuminated a symbol carved into the outer wall.
A coiled serpent holding a spear in its mouth.
The mark of the Saurus Warriors.
Tekuna had secretly carved it there the night before the barracks was completed.
When Kroq-Gar noticed it the following morning, the Skink Priest’s eyes had darted around furiously as he pretended to have absolutely no idea who had done it.
The southern barracks took two days longer.
Rain.
The rainforest’s true rainy season hadn’t arrived yet, but that meant very little.
Here, rain came whenever it pleased.
The southern district sat on lower ground.
Before long, the foundation pit was filled with water deep enough to reach halfway up a Skink’s body.
The Skink craftsmen didn’t care.
They were creatures of the rainforest.
Working in water was almost as natural to them as working on dry ground.
Unfortunately, masonry was less cooperative.
Wet stone slipped too easily.
Mortar refused to set.
Kroq-Gar had no choice but to wait two days.
The moment the rain stopped, the southern barracks practically erupted from the ground.
The Skink craftsmen had been forced to wait for too long.
Once they could work again, they threw themselves into construction with almost frightening enthusiasm.
They continued even after nightfall, working beneath torchlight.
Late into the night, the constant ringing of stone tools traveled from the southern district all the way to the north.
Clink.
Clink.
Clink.
Like the ticking of some enormous clock.
Then came the Cold One pens.
In the southwestern corner of the First City lay a natural depression surrounded by several collapsed pyramids.
Together, the ruins formed a partially enclosed basin.
The Cold One Riders had actually discovered the place themselves.
During their earlier stay in the First City, their mounts had constantly tried to wander in that direction.
The riders could barely hold them back.
Eventually, they discovered why.
A geothermal fissure ran beneath the basin.
The ground there was several degrees warmer than the surrounding rainforest.
Cold Ones were cold-blooded creatures.
When temperatures dropped, they became sluggish.
To them, this basin was a naturally heated sanctuary.
Kroq-Gar inspected the location once.
Then immediately made his decision.
The Cold One pens would be built there.
The Skink craftsmen sealed the gaps between the surrounding ruins.
Stone pillars reinforced the perimeter.
Then they diverted a small stream through the center of the basin.
Three days later, the pens were complete.
When the Cold Ones were finally moved inside, they immediately threw themselves into the mud along the stream and began rolling around.
Their contented rumbling was loud enough to resemble distant thunder.
The weapons forge was established beside the northern barracks.
Technically, it wasn’t newly constructed.
The First City’s original forge had once stood in exactly the same location.
The craftsmen simply removed the collapsed roof.
They cleared away the rubble.
Purged the remnants of Chaos corruption.
Repaired the furnaces.
Then lit the fires again.
On the first day the forge returned to operation, the smell of rust and burning charcoal drifted through the city.
Tekuna stood nearby and sniffed the air for a long time.
He said it smelled like the age of the Old Ones.
The scent of metal being forged for war.
The breathing of warriors.
The stone walls of the barracks.
All of it merging into one.
By the end of the first week, the First City possessed two Skink Spawning Pools, two Saurus Barracks, one Cold One enclosure, and one weapons forge.
Only then did Kroq-Gar begin recruiting.
It wasn’t because he hadn’t wanted to raise more troops immediately.
He had deliberately waited.
For several days, Kroq-Gar had carefully observed the consumption and natural recovery rate of his Geomantic Energy.
Ten points per hour.
Two hundred and forty per day.
Four regiments of Skink Cohorts cost four hundred Geomantic Energy.
Four regiments of Saurus Spearmen cost eight hundred.
If he recruited them all at once, his reserves would be emptied immediately.
Then he would need several days just to recover.
There was a smarter approach.
Build the necessary infrastructure first.
Then use his surplus Geomantic Energy to gradually expand the army each day.
Avoid reaching the maximum capacity.
But never allow his reserves to fall below a safe threshold.
Always keep enough Geomantic Energy available for emergencies.
The four regiments of Skink Cohorts were recruited gradually.
One regiment each day.
One hundred Geomantic Energy.
One hour to spawn.
By the time the fourth regiment climbed from the spawning pool, the first had already spent three days practicing with their javelins.
When the new recruits joined the formation, the veterans didn’t move.
They simply slapped their tails against the bluestone ground.
Once.
A Lizardmen greeting.
The newly spawned Skinks visibly froze at the synchronized impact.
Then they hurried forward and joined the formation.
The four regiments of Saurus Spearmen were also recruited in stages.
Two hundred Geomantic Energy per regiment.
One regiment every other day.
Each time a new regiment was recruited, the sound of cracking stone from deep within the barracks attracted nearby Skink craftsmen.
They would gather outside.
Some crouched upon piles of stone.
Others stretched their necks as far as possible, trying to see inside.
Stone cracked.
Flesh was remade.
Then the barracks gates opened.
A brand-new regiment of Saurus Warriors marched out in formation.
Spears.
Bronze shields.
Cold, slit-pupiled eyes.
They were as silent and ferocious as any veteran regiment.
In front of the watching craftsmen, the new warriors struck their tails against the ground.
A military salute.
One elderly Skink craftsman crouched beside a wall.
One claw covered his mouth.
Skinks possessed no tear ducts.
Instead, a series of tiny, trembling sounds escaped his throat.
By the end of the week, the First City’s army consisted of four regiments of Skink Cohorts armed with javelins, four regiments of Saurus Spearmen with shields, two regiments of Blessed Saurus Warriors, one regiment of Cold One Spear Riders, and one Feral Stegadon.
The total force numbered just over one thousand.
Then Kroq-Gar established a permanent garrison.
Technically, the garrison troops had also been recruited by him.
Four regiments of Skink Javelin Warriors.
One regiment of Saurus Spearmen.
They would remain stationed in the First City.
They would not join the main expeditionary force.
Their responsibilities were simple.
Defend the city.
Patrol the walls.
Maintain vigilance.
Kroq-Gar still wasn’t satisfied with simply leaving them behind.
Before departing, he personally summoned the garrison commander.
They spoke for half an hour.
Patrol routes.
Sentry rotations.
The intervals between guard changes.
Control of the armory keys.
The rotation schedule for nighttime passwords.
Kroq-Gar explained everything he could think of.
On the day of his departure, he stopped outside the city gates.
Then he looked back.
Several Skinks had poked their heads from the watchtowers along the walls.
Their golden eyes glimmered faintly through the morning mist.
Kroq-Gar raised his right hand.
His enormous scaled fingers spread open.
Then closed into a fist.
From atop the walls came a synchronized thunder of tails striking stone.
Then Kroq-Gar turned away.
He led his army toward New Tlanxla.
The Next Three Weeks: New Tlanxla
Over the following three weeks, Kroq-Gar brought New Tlanxla up to the same standard as the First City.
Everything they had learned during the reconstruction of the First City proved useful.
The craftsmen now knew the fastest way to excavate foundations.
They knew how to dismantle ruins while recovering the maximum amount of usable stone.
They knew how to repair damaged conduits carrying Geomantic Energy.
The city’s first Skink Spawning Pool was created by expanding the existing structure.
It was the same black stone building that had already been present when they first captured the city.
The very same structure discovered by the first pair of scouts.
Back then, it had only been capable of producing Skink Cohorts and Skirmishers.
The craftsmen excavated the ancient Geomantic conduits beneath the spawning pool.
To their surprise, the conduits were still functional.
They had simply been clogged for several thousand years.
Once cleared, the flow of Geomantic solution into the spawning pool nearly doubled.
A second spawning pool was constructed in the northern district.
It was slightly smaller than the southern structure, but otherwise identical.
Two Saurus Barracks followed the same design used in the First City.
Each contained a training ground.
An armory.
Living quarters capable of housing one hundred Saurus Warriors.
The Cold One pens were built in the eastern district beside a natural stream.
Their walls were constructed from the yellow granite native to New Tlanxla.
It wasn’t the same dark basalt used in the First City.
But it was more than strong enough.
The weapons forge was established in the western district.
Its location was somewhat isolated, close to the city gate.
That made transporting ore and charcoal considerably easier.
Then came the final evening of the month.
Kroq-Gar returned to New Tlanxla at the head of his main army.
This time, he rode a Cold One.
Behind him marched the silent formations of Saurus Warriors and the endlessly chattering ranks of Skinks.
By the time they entered the city, darkness was approaching.
Torches were being lit along the walls.
New Tlanxla’s garrison stood in formation on either side of the gate.
Four regiments of Skink Javelin Warriors.
One regiment of Saurus Spearmen.
As Kroq-Gar entered, every warrior struck their tail against the ground.
The sound echoed in perfect unison.
Tekuna was waiting at the gate.
The Skink Priest had visibly lost weight over the past month.
His feathered cloak was considerably more worn than before.
Even the crystal atop his staff had been replaced.
The original had cracked while he was carving purification glyphs.
Tekuna watched Kroq-Gar dismount.
He opened his mouth to begin his report.
Kroq-Gar spoke first.
“Tonight.”
“Compile everything.”
“Both cities.”
“All of it.”
Tekuna reached beneath his cloak.
He pulled out a stack of bark parchment.
He had already prepared it.
Written across the sheets was a complete roster of Kroq-Gar’s army.
The garrison forces were not included.
Four regiments of Skink Cohorts.
Six hundred and forty warriors.
Four regiments of Saurus Spearmen.
Four hundred warriors.
Two regiments of Blessed Saurus Warriors.
Two hundred warriors.
One regiment of Cold One Spear Riders.
Forty-eight riders.
One Feral Stegadon.
The total strength of his expeditionary army exceeded thirteen hundred.
Then there were the garrisons of the First City and New Tlanxla.
Each city was defended by four regiments of Skink Javelin Warriors and one regiment of Saurus Spearmen.
Between the two cities, the garrisons consisted of one thousand two hundred and eighty Skinks and two hundred Saurus Warriors.
Those troops were not counted among his expeditionary forces.
Their presence meant something far more important.
At any moment, Kroq-Gar could draw reinforcements from one of his cities and send them to support the front without leaving his territory completely undefended.
It was something these cities had not possessed in a very, very long time.
Security.
Kroq-Gar returned the bark parchment to Tekuna.
Then he rose from the stone platform.
The night wind swept across the city walls.
Torchlight danced across his scales.
His new realm was still small.
Only two cities.
But one month ago, he had possessed nothing more than a ruined Temple-City and seven hundred warriors.
Now the next step was obvious.
Two hundred li to the north, the large Chaos stronghold with its stone walls was still there.
Time would not wait for him.
Neither would Chaos.
“Tekuna.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Have every Cold One Rider prepare a second mount.”
“Keep the weapons forge operating through the night.”
“Beginning tomorrow, every regiment enters full battle readiness.”
Tekuna’s golden eyes gleamed beneath the torchlight.
The Skink Priest lowered his head.
For a brief moment, a cold smile crossed his face beneath the flickering shadows.
“As you command, Lord Kroq-Gar.”