IN THE SWAMP OF THE LIZARD SHIFTERS
The gong sounded harshly and lizard folk poured from every corner of the hidden city. They emerged from woven pods and underground tunnels. They slithered down glowing vines and crawled out from beneath bioluminescent mushrooms. Within minutes, the central clearing was packed—hundreds of scales, hundreds of amber eyes, all turned toward the throne of woven roots.
Alpha Kayden stood at the center. His chest was puffed. His tail was still. His golden eyes swept across the crowd with something they had not seen in years.
Hope.
"My people," he announced. His voice carried without effort. It bounced off the scaled trees and echoed through the canals. "I have called you here because I have news. News that will change everything."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Tails twitched and claws tapped against stone.
