Draven.
The engines quieted behind us, leaving only the heavy churn of machines and the sharp clank of hammers echoing off stone.
I stepped out of the first jeep, the cool breath of morning brushing my face, thick with the scent of earth, iron, and faint magic.
To the east, mist lifted off the highlands, and the sun broke clean over the Great Wall's unfinished silhouette.
Beside me, Jeffery shut the car door and fell into stride without a word. Oscar had already moved ahead, the ever-efficient advisor flipping through a thick folder as he led us toward the main clearing.
"Morning construction started two hours ago," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "The East gate extension is finally sealed."
The wall stretched for miles, its dark stone curving like a fortress spine against the distant peaks. It was higher than what my father described the last time we spoke before my return.
