The First Civilization

The western gate remained closed. Twenty strangers stood outside the walls. Aren watched them from the top of the wooden platform beside the gate.

They weren’t dressed like Black Fang. They weren’t dressed like the people Doran had encountered in the eastern forest either. Their clothes were made from dark brown leather, with strips of gray cloth wrapped around their arms and legs. Most carried short bows, while several others had curved blades hanging from their belts.

They didn’t look like an army. But they weren’t travelers, either. There were too many weapons. Too much discipline.

Aldren stood beside Aren. "Who are they?"

"No idea."

Doran had already joined them. He narrowed his eyes at the group below. "I’ve never seen them before."

Aren studied the strangers carefully. Nobody was shouting. Nobody was demanding that the gates be opened. They were simply waiting. That made him more suspicious.

---

A man stepped forward from the group. He appeared to be in his thirties, with long black hair tied behind his head. He raised both hands to show that he wasn’t holding a weapon.

"We mean no harm." His voice carried clearly across the wall.

Aldren stepped forward. "State your name and tribe."

The man hesitated. "We are travelers."

Harok, standing a few steps behind Aren, immediately scoffed. "Twenty armed travelers?"

The man looked toward him. "We were attacked on the road."

Aldren’s expression remained hard. "By whom?"

The stranger didn’t answer immediately. Then he said, "People wearing black."

The warriors on the wall exchanged looks. Aren’s eyes narrowed. Black Fang. Or at least, that was what the man wanted them to believe.

Aldren asked another question. "Where did you come from?"

"The northern hills."

"Where are you going?"

The man looked toward the settlement. "We heard the council was gathering here."

Harok stepped forward. "And you expect us to believe you simply happened to arrive at the same time?"

The stranger smiled faintly. "Perhaps we were lucky."

Nobody laughed.

---

Aren kept watching him. There was something wrong. Not with his words. With his eyes. The man wasn’t looking at the chiefs. He wasn’t looking at the guards. He kept looking past them, toward the center of Stone River, as if he were searching for something.

Aren quietly leaned toward Doran. "Do you recognize him?"

Doran shook his head. "No."

"His clothing?"

"No."

Aren looked back at the stranger. Then he noticed something. A small black mark was stitched into the man’s belt. A circle. And inside it, a bird.

Aren’s stomach tightened. The same symbol. The same one carved into the ancient stone. He immediately stepped forward.

"Open the gate."

Aldren looked at him. "What?"

"Let them inside."

Doran stared at Aren. "Are you sure?"

"No." Aren’s eyes remained fixed on the stranger. "That’s why I want them close."

Aldren studied him for several seconds. Then he raised his hand. "Open the gate."

The guards hesitated. Finally, the wooden beams began to move. The strangers entered slowly. One by one. Their eyes moved across the settlement.

The moment the man with the black symbol passed Aren, he stopped. For half a second, their eyes met. The stranger’s expression changed. Not fear. Recognition.

Aren noticed it. So did Doran. The man continued walking.

Aren turned toward Doran. "You saw that."

"I did."

"He’s seen me before."

Doran nodded. "Or he knows who you are."

---

The strangers were taken to the council hall. Their weapons were collected before they entered. Nobody complained. That surprised Aren. People who had traveled with weapons usually argued when those weapons were taken away. These people simply handed them over. Almost too easily.

Inside the hall, the leader introduced himself. "My name is Varek." He placed a hand over his chest. "We come from the northern hills."

Chief Aldren sat across from him. "You said you were attacked."

"Yes."

"By Black Fang?"

Varek nodded. "They attacked us three nights ago."

"How many?"

"Several dozen."

"And you survived with only twenty people?"

Varek looked at him. "We lost many." His voice remained calm. Too calm.

Aren watched him carefully. "Where did they attack you?"

Varek pointed toward the map. "Here." His finger landed near the eastern forest.

Aren’s expression changed. Doran noticed. So did Varek. Varek slowly moved his finger. "They followed us from the forest."

Aren interrupted. "Why were you in the eastern forest?"

The room became quiet. Varek looked at him. "We were passing through."

Aren shook his head. "No."

Varek’s eyebrows lifted slightly. "You weren’t passing through." Aren pointed at the map. "The eastern forest doesn’t lead directly to the northern hills."

Varek said nothing.

"You would have taken the western road."

Still nothing.

Aren leaned forward. "So why were you there?"

The room grew tense. Varek finally smiled. "You ask many questions."

"I’ve learned that people usually have reasons for hiding their answers."

A few chiefs exchanged glances. Varek’s smile disappeared. "We were looking for something."

Aren’s heart sank. "The ruins."

Varek’s eyes changed. Only for an instant. But it was enough. Aren knew.

---

Doran slowly reached for his spear. Harok stood. "What ruins?"

Varek looked around the room. Then he sighed. "You already know."

Nobody spoke.

Aren placed the piece of black stone on the table. The moment Varek saw it, his expression became completely still. The symbol was clearly visible. Circle. Bird.

Varek stared at it for several seconds. "Where did you get that?"

"Doran found it."

Varek looked toward Doran. Then back at Aren. "You shouldn’t have taken it."

Aren frowned. "Why?"

Varek leaned closer. "Because now they’ll know you’ve seen it."

Aren’s eyes narrowed. "Who?"

Varek didn’t answer.

---

Then a loud horn echoed outside. Once. Twice. Three times. The entire council hall went silent.

Doran immediately stood. "That’s not a normal warning."

Aldren looked toward the door. "What does three blasts mean?"

A guard rushed inside. His face was pale.

"Chief!"

"What happened?"

"The eastern watchtower..." The guard struggled to breathe. "It’s gone."

Aren stood. "What do you mean, gone?"

"The guards disappeared."

Silence.

"All of them."

Aren looked toward Varek. The stranger wasn’t surprised. That was the part that frightened him most.

Varek simply closed his eyes. "They found us."

Aren’s expression hardened. "Who?"

Varek opened his eyes. For the first time since entering Stone River, there was genuine fear in them.

"The people we’re running from."

---

Outside the walls, a fourth horn sounded. This time, it came from the eastern side. Then another. And another.

Aren slowly turned toward the forest. The council had gathered to discuss the threat of Black Fang. But Black Fang wasn’t the only danger anymore. Something else had entered their territory. Something that knew about the ancient ruins. Something that knew about the strange people carrying the black stone.

And somehow, it was already inside their defenses.

End of Chapter 44