Strax walked slowly through the wide streets of Asgard, his hands resting behind his back as his steps followed a tranquil, almost contemplative rhythm. The morning breeze rustled between the buildings, carrying with it the sounds of hamrs, voices, and life—sothing that simply hadn’t existed in that place just a few months ago.
It was hard to imagine that this sa city had been reduced to ashes.
A few months before, everything there was nothing but destruction. The streets were covered in rubble, the walls partially collapsed, and the air still carried the lingering sll of smoke and burnt wood. Now, however, the scene was completely different.
New houses rose on both sides of the streets.
Many of them were two stories high, built with reinforced wood and light-colored stone. Sloping roofs of newly laid tiles glead in the morning sun as small flags fluttered on so balconies.
Small shops also began to appear.
Blacksmiths, food vendors, artisans displaying tools and armor pieces in open shop windows. So doors were still being painted, while rchants arranged boxes and barrels before the entrances.
Strax continued walking unhurriedly, observing everything with silent attention.
Further on, a large notice board was surrounded by a few people. Pieces of paper fastened with nails announced simple quests, requests for help, minor contracts, and rewards for monsters in the vicinity.
An adventurers’ guild had sprung up nearby.
The building was still partially under construction, but a temporary sign already hung above the entrance. So ard n and won chatted near the door, probably discussing so recently published contract or quest.
Strax passed by them without drawing attention.
To many there, he was just another man walking through the city.
So knew who he was, of course. But still, the atmosphere of normalcy that was beginning to erge in Asgard seed more important than constant reverence.
Further on, two rows of knights patrolled one of the main streets.
Their armor glead in the sun, and the symbol of Asgard was engraved on their breastplates. They maintained a disciplined posture as they observed the city’s movent.
When they noticed Strax passing by, so straightened their stance slightly.
He simply nodded slightly in return.
Near the outer walls, so outposts had recently been erected.
Simple watchtowers, made of reinforced wood, allowed the guards to observe the nearby roads. Flags fluttered atop the structures as archers trained in the surrounding area.
Outside the city, the fields were also beginning to show signs of life.
Strax paused for a mont near a natural rise in the terrain, from where he could see beyond the walls.
There, small crops were beginning to grow.
Rows of cultivation stretched across the fertile soil, workers moving between the rows as they tended to the young plants. It was only the beginning, but it was already enough to indicate that the city was becoming self-sufficient.
Newly built granaries were scattered around the edges of the agricultural region.
Large wooden structures where grains and food would be stored when the crops finally ripened.
Strax observed this in silence for a few monts.
Then he let out a small murmur.
"Monica really did a great job."
He resud walking slowly through the streets.
Organizing a destroyed city of that size was no simple task. It required managing resources, controlling the flow of people, avoiding conflicts between newcors, dealing with construction, food, security, and comrce all at the sa ti.
Monica had taken on a large part of this responsibility.
And apparently, she was doing it with impressive efficiency.
Strax passed an area where several workers were raising the structure of another two-story building. Hamrs pounded against wood while so n pulled ropes to lift heavy beams.
A supervisor shouted instructions while examining a scroll with construction plans.
Everything seed organized.
Chaotic in a way, like any expanding city, but functional.
As he continued walking, so people recognized him.
A rchant slightly inclined his head as he passed.
A woman carrying baskets of fruit did the sa.
Strax responded with small nods, without stopping.
The city’s growth was visible on every corner.
Children ran through the narrow streets between the new houses, laughing as they played with pieces of wood transford into makeshift swords.
A group of blacksmiths worked together near an open forge, sparks flying in the air as they shaped blades and horseshoes.
Even a small, makeshift market was beginning to form in the central square.
Wooden stalls displayed fruits, dried ats, simple tools, and colorful fabrics. The murmur of negotiating filled the air with a vibrant energy.
Strax paused for a mont in the center of the square.
His gaze slowly swept across the surrounding city.
Asgard was still far from perfect.
There was still much work to be done. Roads needed paving, walls reinforced, infrastructure expanded.
But the most important thing was already happening.
Life had returned.
People were building sothing there.
And that changed everything.
Strax let out a small, satisfied sigh as he continued walking.
He wasn’t exactly the type of ruler who sat on a throne managing every detail of the city. That simply wasn’t in his nature.
But he knew how to recognize when soone was doing a good job.
And Monica clearly was.
As he walked down a quieter side street, he saw a small group of adventurers examining a map pinned to another notice board.
They were discussing monsters in the nearby forests.
One of them pointed to a specific region while explaining sothing to the others.
Strax passed by them without interfering.
If those guilds continued to grow, Asgard would soon have a steady stream of adventurers circulating through the city.
That ant money.
Movent.
Information.
Everything a strong city needed.
He looked back at the surrounding buildings.
The houses, the shops, the soldiers patrolling, the workers erecting new structures.
It was almost hard to believe that all of this had sprung up in such a short ti.
Strax murmured again, more to himself than to anyone else.
"Things are moving fast."
Strax left the main square behind and followed the quieter streets that led toward the large residence that served as his command center and ho for him and many of the won who accompanied him. As he walked, the city noise gradually diminished, replaced by a more comfortable silence, broken only by the wind rustling through the garden trees and the distant sound of construction coming from the outskirts of the city.
The house stood imposingly atop a small hill, built of light stone and dark wood, with wide windows that reflected the soft morning sunlight. A few Asgardian flags fluttered lazily, attached to the columns of the front porch.
Strax climbed the few steps to the main entrance and opened the door naturally, entering the residence.
The familiar sll of polished wood and food being prepared sowhere in the kitchen wafted through the main hallway. The house was still relatively quiet, which was no surprise. Many of the won were still asleep at that hour or busy with their own routines.
He walked down the corridor with calm steps, briefly brushing the dust from his hands after his stroll through the city.
Then he heard a strange sound.
A rhythmic movent.
Sothing being rubbed against the floor.
Strax frowned slightly and turned his gaze to the main room.
And then he stopped.
There, kneeling on the polished wooden floor of the room, was Scathach.
Or at least... soone who looked like Scathach.
She wore a classic black and white maid’s dress, with an apron tied at the waist and a small white tiara holding back her long red hair, which cascaded in waves almost to her hips. The short sleeves left her arms exposed as she scrubbed the floor with a damp cloth with surprisingly dedicated movents.
The contrast was so absurd that for a mont Strax just stood there watching.
The ancient dragon that once dominated the skies with her colossal presence was now... cleaning the floor.
And wearing a maid outfit.
Scathach seed completely focused on the task. She leaned forward while scrubbing a small area of the floor with almost ticulous attention, as if it were an extrely important mission.
Strax blinked a few tis before finally speaking.
"What exactly happened here?"
His voice echoed through the silent hall.
Scathach stopped moving imdiately.
She lifted her face and her green eyes t his.
For a brief mont, she seed surprised that he was there.
Then a soft smile appeared on her lips.
She stood slowly, still holding the cleaning cloth in one hand. Her maid dress swayed slightly with the movent, the apron still tied tightly at the waist.
"Ah," she said naturally. "You’re back."
Strax crossed his arms as he observed the surreal scene.
"I asked what happened."
His gaze quickly swept over her clothes.
"What’s this?"
Scathach looked at herself, as if only now rembering her own appearance. She gave a small, carefree turn, making the skirt of her maid uniform move slightly.
"This?" she said.
Strax nodded slowly.
She smiled again.
"Monica gave trouble."
The answer ca with an almost absurd tranquility.
Strax was silent for a second.
"Monica... gave you trouble?"
Scathach nodded, taking a few steps closer while holding the cleaning cloth.
"Yes."
She glanced briefly at the floor she had been cleaning earlier.
"She said the house needed help."
Strax raised an eyebrow.
"And you accepted?"
Scathach tilted her head slightly, the smile still present on her face.
"Of course."
She raised the cloth slightly as if it were proof of sothing.
"I’m helping."
Strax let out a small sigh through his nose, clearly trying to understand the situation.
"You were a dragon that made kings tremble."
Scathach shrugged gently.
"And now I’m cleaning the floor."
She seed genuinely at ease with it.
Strax walked a few more steps into the room, observing the work she was doing. The floor was indeed impeccably clean.
"You seem strangely comfortable with this."
Scathach knelt on the floor again, resuming the motion of calmly scrubbing the floor.
"I am."
Strax watched her movents for a few seconds.
"Doesn’t this seem like punishnt?"
She shook her head.
"No."
The cloth slid across the wood again as she continued cleaning.
"Monica didn’t force ."
She glanced briefly at him.
"She just said I could help."
Strax remained silent.
Scathach continued working as she spoke.
"I destroyed a lot of things in the past."
Her tone wasn’t harsh, but there was a clear honesty in her words.
"So helping to build sothing... or keep sothing clean... seems appropriate."
Strax observed her face for a mont.
The smile was still there.
But now he could perceive sothing deeper behind it.
A different tranquility.
Sothing that hadn’t existed in her before.
"And are you happy doing this?"
Scathach stopped again and looked at him.
Her green eyes were calm.
"Yes."
She smiled a little more.
"Is it strange?"
Strax thought for a mont.
Then he shook his head.
"A little."
She laughed softly.
"Maybe."
Scathach resud scrubbing the floor while continuing to speak.
"But Monica is very efficient."
Strax chuckled slightly at that.
"I already noticed that."
Scathach tilted her head slightly as she cleaned another section of the floor.
"She organized the whole city."
"Organized the house."
"Organized even the chores."
She looked up at him again.
"She’s impressive."
Strax nodded slowly.
"She really is."
Scathach finished cleaning that patch of floor and stood up again, resting her hands on her apron.
"Besides," she said lightly.
Strax crossed his arms again.
"Besides?"
She tilted her head slightly, her red hair cascading over her shoulders.
"I like helping you."
Strax stared at her for a few seconds.
"Cleaning the floor?"
Scathach smiled.
"Also."
She pointed to the gleaming floor around them.
"See how beautiful it is now."
Strax looked around the silent room, the floor truly reflecting the light coming through the windows.
Then he sighed again.
"I go out for a few hours and co back to find an ancient dragon dressed as a maid."
Scathach crossed his hands behind his back with an almost innocent expression.
"Strange things happen in Asgard."
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