The morning was fresh.
Birds sang in the trees.
Sunlight filtered through green forest leaves.
Jin stood atop a high rock, overlooking the clearing below.
"This place," he said, voice steady, "will become our home. Our city."
Behind him stood Raku and the other leaders. The air brimmed with hope.
With a stick in hand, Jin knelt and began drawing lines in the dirt.
"This will be the center," he explained. "A big open space. A plaza where we gather."
He sketched more lines.
"Here—the homes, arranged around the center.
There—food storage.
And over there—wells and places to wash."
He turned, eyes scanning the forest surrounding them.
"Many dangers still hide in these woods," he said. "We need walls. Strong ones. We build those first."
Raku nodded firmly.
"Yes, My King. We will build strong walls."
Jin pointed toward the eastern hill.
"We'll build a watchtower there. From the top, we'll see far—see enemies before they come."
Then his gaze settled on a large, flat rock near the river.
"That will be our gate. The face of our city."
The leaders listened intently. Jin's voice was calm but carried undeniable power.
This plan... it came from inside me, Jin thought. Maybe it's from my past life. I feel it in my bones—like I know how cities breathe. Like I once lived in dungeons carved from stone.
He rose to his feet.
"Today," he declared, "we begin."
The people cheered.
"Builders, gather stone and wood!" Raku called. "Mages, use your earth magic!"
The evolved lizardmen moved with purpose. Some shattered boulders with mighty hammers; others shaped the stone with magic. The ground trembled as earth shifted into form. It was hard work, but they smiled through it.
Jin joined in, lifting stones with powerful arms, placing beams with precision.
By evening, half the walls were complete. Foundations for homes were laid. The plaza was drawn, and the gate stood under the lizardmen watchful eye.
That night, Jin sat by a fire, gazing at the stars.
We're building more than stone, he thought. We're building a future.
And in the quiet of the forest, the new city took its first breath.
---
The Next Morning: Stone and Magic
Work resumed at dawn.
Jin stood at the clearing's heart, watching the lizardmen move with renewed strength. They were no longer wild. They were builders, warriors, and mages.
One group felled trees with stone axes and strong limbs, hauling logs on their backs. Another carved stone, turning massive rocks into smooth, solid blocks.
Jin called out, "Fire magic—step forward!"
A young lizardman, hands glowing like embers, stepped up.
"Yes, My King?"
"Heat this stone," Jin said, pointing to a rough block.
The lizardman obeyed, placing his hands on the stone. Red fire flowed. The rock softened like clay.
"Good," Jin nodded. "Now shape it."
With aid from others, the stone became a perfect building block.
Next, Jin summoned water and earth mages. They mixed water, dirt, and mana to create strong mud bricks. Fire mages dried them swiftly under the sun.
Soon, the clearing buzzed like a hive. Chopping, shaping, chanting—magic and muscle worked in harmony.
Jin looked at the growing piles of material.
We're making more than homes, he thought. We're building our future.
He returned to the city gate.
"This is the first thing people will see," he said. "It must be strong. It must show our power."
He knelt and placed his hand on the ground. Mana stirred.
"Stone Golem, rise," he whispered.
Stone gathered. Rock clicked into place, drawn together by unseen force. Legs. Chest. Arms. A head.
The golem stood silent, still. Eyes closed.
Jin stepped back.
"This golem will not fight unless needed," he said. "It will guard."
The lizardmen watched in awe. Raku whispered,
"It is strong. Like you, My King."
Jin shook his head.
"No. It is only a symbol. Our real strength is here—"
He pointed to their chests.
"—in our hearts."
Their eyes burned with fire.
With stone and magic, the city had begun. The forest shifted. A future stirred.
And Jin led the way.
---
Defense Comes First
But Jin knew hope alone wouldn't protect them.
The world outside remained dangerous—monsters lurked, and humans might attack. Jin was now a king. A king must protect his people.
He called a council.
Raku, the warrior; Mira, the builder; Sol, the healer—leaders all—stood before him.
"We must build walls first," Jin said. "Strong. High. To stop monsters."
They nodded.
"We also need towers," he continued. "Towers where warriors can stand watch. If danger comes, we must see it early."
Raku stepped forward.
"I will train guards to stand watch day and night."
"Good. We also need a safe center. If danger breaches the walls, the people must have somewhere to run."
Sol raised her hand.
"I'll turn the center into a healing zone. If anyone is hurt, they'll come to me."
"Perfect," Jin said. "That will be our core. Stone walls on the outside, homes inside, healing in the heart."
Mira pointed.
"This hill is high ground. We can build the first watchtower here."
Jin looked. A perfect spot.
"Build the tower here," he commanded.
The workers acted quickly. Wood, stone, magic—together they raised the first tower.
Meanwhile, outer walls took shape. Massive stones set in place. Earth mages leveled the land. Fire mages dried bricks. Water mages cooled the workers.
Jin personally checked each wall. Touching the stone, he whispered,
"It is strong."
Raku trained young lizardmen with claws and spears. They ran atop walls, climbed towers, sounded alarms.
At night, torches flickered on every corner. The city glowed like fireflies in the forest.
From the hilltop tower, Jin watched.
"We are no longer just survivors," he said. "We are builders. Protectors. A new people."
He looked to the stars.
"And this city will be our home."
---
The First Golem Guard
The sun dipped low.
Walls stood tall. Towers reached skyward. Guards trained with discipline. The forest city grew each hour.
But Jin wanted more—something that never slept. A guardian that would show the world:
This city is strong. This city has a king.
He walked to the front gate.
The doors were thick, but not enough.
"I will make a guardian," he said.
Raku blinked.
"A golem? A living statue?"
Jin nodded.
"Yes. A big one. Silent. Strong."
He placed a hand to the ground, closing his eyes. Memories returned—of another life, another form. A dungeon core. A being who built traps, monsters, guardians.
Now, he would create one again.
He whispered ancient words. The earth trembled.
Rocks rolled toward him. Some floated, glowing softly. He shaped them with hands and will.
Feet formed—wide and heavy. Legs. Chest. Arms thick as trunks. A smooth, eyeless head.
Into its chest, he embedded a glowing blue mana crystal.
"Protect this city," he commanded.
"Stand here. Watch. And if enemies come… defend."
The crystal pulsed once.
Then, silence.
The golem stood—taller than a house, like a mountain given form.
The lizardmen stared in awe.
"It will not move unless attacked," Jin said. "It will not speak. It will not eat. But if danger comes—it will fight."
Raku touched its arm.
"It's cold."
"But it's strong," Mira added.
Jin nodded.
"This golem is a symbol. A sign of power. We are no longer weak. We have walls, towers… and now, a guardian."
Cheers rose.
Children came to see the giant. Some tried to climb it. The golem never moved.
At night, moonlight bathed its body. It stood like a knight carved from the earth itself.
Jin stood beside it and whispered,
"Thank you, old power. Even in this new life… I can protect."
And thus, the first golem guard was born.
Silent. Strong. Eternal.
The heart of the gate.
The soul of the city's defense.
And the first of many to come.