The morning sun rose over the mountains, painting the valley in shades of gold and amber. The birds were singing. The breeze was gentle. The world was peaceful.
But for Ethan, peace felt like a distant memory.
He stood on the porch of the community center, watching the light spread across the buildings below. It had been six months since the global council was formed. Six months of watching the community expand beyond anything they'd ever imagined. Six months of watching new faces, new stories, new lives unfold before his eyes.
But six months had also brought new challenges. New conflicts. New tensions.
The city had grown beyond recognition. What had once been a small collection of cabins nestled in a mountain valley was now a sprawling metropolis that stretched across the entire valle
