For the next ten days, the Starfall island became a hive of relentless activity.
The five hundred men and women assigned to clear the land worked from dawn till dusk, hacking away at dense vegetation, uprooting stubborn trees, and hauling away massive boulders that littered the field. Their bodies ached, their muscles burned, and sweat drenched their clothes, but no one dared to complain.
Because survival was the only option.
Rune and Davian were everywhere. They were leaders as well as enforcers, making sure no one slacked off.
Rune noticed everything going around him - every lagging step, every hesitating hand. If someone worked too slowly, he would step in with a sharp word or a pointed glare that made their backs straighten instantly.
Davian, on the other hand, took a different approach. He encouraged people, and helped carry the heaviest loads, proving that even the strongest among them weren't above hard labor.
