The morning sun rose weakly over the shattered skyline of the ruins, its pale light spilling over jagged stone and crumbling towers. A cool breeze carried the faint scent of dust and old earth. For the first time in days, Kairo woke without the lingering tension of imminent battle gnawing at the back of his mind. The air felt almost… peaceful.
Theo had woken the previous night, but his recovery still required rest. Today, Kairo decided, would not be for fighting grand battles or facing overwhelming odds. It would be for rebuilding — for shaping the territory into something more than just a place to survive in.
Over a simple breakfast, Kairo laid out his plan.
"I'll be taking five kobolts and the scavenger ghouls," he said, pulling on his armor and tightening the straps. "We'll gather resources. Ruins like these always have something worth salvaging."
Shiri, seated across from him with arms folded, gave a short nod. "I'll stay behind with Onyx. The base still needs guarding, and Theo isn't ready to defend himself yet."
Kairo smirked faintly. "Good. Keep an eye on him. He's a lot of trouble for someone who can barely stand."
With his group ready, Kairo set out. The kobolts moved with a mixture of eagerness and discipline, their clawed feet clicking softly against the cracked stone. The scavenger ghouls shambled quietly behind, their dark, hollow eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.
The morning was spent clearing out small monster dens — a nest of overgrown rat-beasts here, a rotted hive of carrion insects there. Each fight was swift, precise. Kairo directed his forces like a conductor guiding an orchestra, every movement deliberate. No unnecessary risks. No waste of energy.
Between battles, he ordered the kobolts to pry apart collapsed walls and dig through rubble for usable stone and metal scraps. They unearthed fragments of old masonry, rusted beams, and shards of glass that could be reshaped. Each find was piled neatly into makeshift sleds for transport.
Kairo wasn't just thinking about walls — though sturdy defenses were his priority — but about making the territory livable. A proper base needed more than stone; it needed soil, water, and some semblance of comfort.
The steady rhythm of work was almost relaxing. The sound of stone cracking under kobolt hammers, the ghouls dragging scavenged wood across the ground… it was almost like music to him. After the chaos of the battle with Karhux, the simplicity of gathering and building was a welcome change.
It reminded him of his old life — of working quietly at something, his mind free to wander. There was a strange satisfaction in this methodical pace, a reminder that life didn't always have to be about fighting for survival every second.
As midday approached, Kairo's group stumbled upon a rare sight in the ruins — a patch of grass, green and soft, growing in defiance of the barren stone around it. A few young trees swayed gently in the breeze, their leaves whispering. The ground was softer here, the soil dark and rich compared to the dusty gray earth of the ruins.
He stopped, taking it in. "...Well, that's a surprise."
The kobolts tilted their heads, unsure why their commander was staring at a bit of grass like it was treasure. But to Kairo, this was more valuable than any pile of monster loot.
"We're taking some of this back," he decided. "Soil, grass, even the smaller trees. The base needs it."
The ghouls went to work immediately, tearing chunks of fertile ground loose while kobolts carefully dug around the tree roots. Kairo sat down on a fallen slab of stone, letting his legs rest as the sun filtered warmly through the leaves.
For a moment, he closed his eyes and listened — the faint rustle of leaves, the distant calls of scavenger birds, the rhythmic scrape of claws on earth. He could almost forget the danger that surrounded them. Almost.
Meanwhile, back at the base
Theo stirred awake, the dull ache in his body reminding him of the battle. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes. The air smelled faintly of smoke and cooked meat.
Shiri greeted him with a plate of food, his serpent-like lower body coiling loosely as he leaned against a broken pillar.
"Eat," Shiri said plainly. "You need strength."
Theo didn't argue. The food was simple — roasted meat with some dried roots — but it filled the hollow in his stomach. After he finished, Shiri's tail flicked thoughtfully.
"You're going to learn something today," the naga said.
Theo blinked. "Learn what?"
"Swordsmanship," Shiri replied. "Naga style. I'm not perfect at it, but I can teach you the basics."
That caught Theo's interest immediately. He followed Shiri to a clear space between two collapsed buildings. Shiri produced a training blade and tossed it to him.
The basics were simple: fluid stances, keeping balance through the legs, and letting the blade follow the motion of the body rather than forcing it. Theo listened closely, eager to improve.
At first, his swings were clumsy, but after an hour, his movements began to flow. Sweat dripped down his face, and there was a light in his eyes — determination mixed with excitement.
Then, in the corner of his vision, Theo noticed a kobolt standing guard at the base's entrance. The creature's claws glinted in the sunlight, its reptilian gaze fixed outward.
Theo froze. The image of Karhux — massive, terrifying, relentless — surged back into his mind. His grip on the sword faltered.
Shiri noticed immediately. "Focus," he said.
"I… I can't," Theo admitted. "That thing… Karhux… it—"
Before he could finish, Shiri moved to stand in front of him. "Fear doesn't vanish because you want it to. You face it by meeting it again — but on your terms."
He called the kobolt over. The creature trotted up obediently, its head tilting slightly in curiosity.
"This will be your battle partner," Shiri told Theo. "It will protect you, fight alongside you, and it won't harm you. Learn to trust it, and you'll stop seeing every claw as a threat."
Theo hesitated, then reached out. The kobolt sniffed his hand, then pressed its snout against his palm.
They resumed training — this time with the kobolt moving alongside Theo, mimicking some of Shiri's drills. It was awkward at first, but slowly, Theo began to relax.
Evening
By the time Kairo returned, the sleds were piled high with stone, wood, scavenged loot, and bundles of dark fertile soil. He carried several saplings under one arm, their roots wrapped in cloth.
Shiri and Theo met him at the base's entrance. "You've been busy," Shiri remarked.
"Productive day," Kairo replied with a faint smile.
They immediately set to work replacing the base's barren earth with the fertile soil, planting the saplings in carefully chosen spots. The ruined irrigation system was partially restored, its channels redirected to bring water to the new patch of greenery.
It wasn't much, but it was the beginning of something stable. The small farm plots would ensure a steady supply of food. With the ghouls not needing to eat, Kairo only had to provide for himself, Shiri, Theo, and the kobolts.
As night fell, the group gathered for dinner. Kairo roasted meat over a small fire, sharing it with Theo and Shiri. They talked quietly — about the coming days, about building walls, about the small improvements they could make.
The kobolts ate outside near the base's entrance, the ghouls scurrying around them like mischievous children. Onyx stood silently on a high vantage point, scanning the dark horizon for any sign of danger.
For the first time since arriving in these ruins, the night felt calm.
Tomorrow, construction would begin.