The First Steps of a New Future

The sun rose over Nouvo Lakay, casting golden light over the temple stones and the now-solidified foundation of Zantrayel, the new country born from blood, unity, and divine favor. The citizens, still reeling from the blessings of the Lwa and the recent beast war, gathered in the central square at the foot of the Grand Temple. There, Zion stood—not just as a spiritual leader, but now as a visionary builder of a nation.

He looked out over the crowd, his voice steady, filled with resolve.

"We have survived. But survival is not our destiny. Our destiny is to thrive."

He raised his hand, and a roll of parchment was unfurled beside him—maps, sketches, and symbols drawn from the memories of a life long past. A life lived in a different world—Earth.

 The Infrastructure Vision

Zion introduced the people to the concept of infrastructure—not a word many knew, but one he would teach them.

"Roads shall connect our villages. Stone and wood bridges will span our rivers. And on those waters, we will float vessels not just for fishing, but for trade, defense, and exploration."

Already, shipwrights were being trained under Zion's direction to build long wooden boats using Earth-style designs, but adapted to the rivers of Bassoon. They would glide with the currents, enchanted by Ayola's scribes to resist wear and rot.

Suspension bridges, their foundations rooted in sacred stone and reinforced with enchanted vines, began construction between highland cliffs, connecting valleys that had once taken days to cross on foot.

Signal towers, inspired by old Earth warning systems, were constructed at the borders. From them, mirror signals, smoke codes, and flame runes could communicate threats in mere minutes.

 The Education Rebirth

Zion turned to Ayomi and Elis, calling for a gathering of priestesses, elders, and learned craftspeople. He proposed a public education system—a sacred duty.

Temples began to double as learning halls, where children and adults alike were taught:

The elements of reading and writing, using a newly created Zantrayan syllabary that mixed Earth characters and tribal glyphs.

Herbal medicine and basic field hygiene inspired by Earth's medical knowledge.

Early Earth science concepts adapted to Zantrayel's spiritual world—how pulleys worked, why rivers flowed, why certain metals burned hotter.

Zion declared:

"Knowledge is power—but shared knowledge is freedom."

 Government and Defense

Zion's new vision abolished the old tribal council system. In its place, a centralized structure emerged, with elected village voices forming a People's Circle, and each priestess leading a Ministry in governance:

Ayola headed Internal Affairs and Intelligence

Sael managed Commerce and Labor

Ayomi oversaw Health and Ritual Safety

Sael led Education and History

Elis was charged with Law, Dispute Resolution, and Border Rites

Meanwhile, the newly formed Zantrayan Guard began recruitment. Zion introduced formations from Earth's tactical memory—squads, platoons, rotational watches, and code-based communication.

Wooden practice rifles and heavy slings were being engineered—not firearms, but tools of organized defense, enhanced by sigils and blessed metals.

 Agriculture, Trade, and Labor

Zion pushed for crop diversification, soil management, and Earth-inspired irrigation techniques blessed by Ayizan. Trade roads were drawn from memory and planned around the natural lay of the land. Barter was still primary, but under Thalia's ministry, the first hand-etched currency stones were introduced—Zantrayan sigil coins.

Zion ended the gathering with words that stirred hearts and minds:

"We were once many tribes. Now, we are one people. The future belongs to those who build it. Let Zantrayel rise—not in the shadow of the past, but in the light of what we now know is possible."

As the crowd roared, the Lwa watched from the unseen places, their approval felt in the warmth of the rising wind and the stillness of the rivers.

The first true steps of a country had begun.