Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle

Raze stood atop the central watchtower of Springriver Manor as she scanned the bustling grounds below.

The sun hadn’t risen yet, but it could be seen how the manor, or the shelter, had changed over the past week.

Ever since the evacuation of Silver Mine Camp, nearly two thousand survivors had been relocated here. The outer wall, once a simple buffer zone with few structures around, was now a sea of tents, temporary shelters, and mobile workstations.

Smoke rose from the field forges as she could hear the clatter of hammers echoing from makeshift carpentry stations. And everywhere she looked, people were moving with purpose.

Thankfully, housing hadn’t become a crisis.

The inner wall still held its lodges, dormitories, and family residences. The outer wall, designed with future expansion in mind, enclosed a vast stretch of vacant land. It wasn’t luxurious, but it was secure. Those without permanent housing had pitched tents or built temporary shelters. Public lavatories had been installed at regular intervals, and the bathhouses, though crowded, were functional and clean thanks to the flowing river they had...

It was enough.

Raze had made sure of that.

After some time, she descended the tower and walked briskly toward the logistics pavilion, where Head Butler Mr. Wadsworth awaited her with a clipboard and two stewards in tow.

”Morning report,” he said, handing it over. ”Water usage is stable. No contamination. Food distribution is on schedule. We’ve added two new soup stations near the eastern tents.”

Raze scanned the numbers. ”Good. What about work assignments?”

”Smithy and carpentry are full. Roadwork and plumbing still need hands. Farming rotation starts tomorrow. Pottery and sanitation are steady.”

She nodded. ”Make sure the new arrivals know they’ll be paid in Zombie Cores. We don’t want confusion.”

”Already posted,” Wadsworth replied. ”We’ve also added trade kiosks near the west gate. Basic goods only... Tools, food, clothing. No weapons for trade yet until you confirm it...”

”Smart,” Raze said. ”Keep the weapons centralized. We don’t want any black-market circulation.”

Well, they would also accept visitors from the Neutral Shelters and even Scavengers, so they had to be careful.

She then stepped outside the pavilion and watched a group of former Silver Mine residents hauling lumber toward the construction zone.

They were previous miners, but now, they had become laborers since the Iron Mine that they had was already full.

Raze couldn’t help but wonder how long these people would stay... Apparently, based on their estimation, their food production could only last them 2 months.

Although they could get resources from other shelters or even through the Marketplace, Raze didn’t want to rely on that...

Anyway, she would keep Springriver stable while Vale searched for a new territory to relocate these people permanently.

Until then, this was her battlefield.

***

Raze then walked through the smithy zone, nodding to the blacksmiths shaping Cold Iron into nails and brackets. Nearby, carpenters were assembling modular frames for future shelters.

The farming plots had already been tilled, and the first batch of fast-growing crops, radish, onion, and ironroot, had been planted...

Even the pottery teams were busy, crafting water jugs and storage containers for the expanding population.

It wasn’t perfect, but it was working.

Raze paused near the central fountain, where a group of children played under Shane’s monument... She allowed herself a brief smile after seeing this.

Then, as she planned to check the market, she noticed that someone had sent her a message.

[ Travis: I have looted some dragon bones in my Platinum Treasure Chest... They’re still filled with energy or something. Do you have a use for it? I can trade it to you with those World Skybrew you have. ]

Raze was stunned after seeing the message.

Roan, her dragon, would definitely need those dragon bones, especially if they were still filled with draconic aura...

However, she only had half a bottle of World Skybrew, and she didn’t really want to part with it.

After all, it was super rare because it was brewed with the World Tree’s leaves! Shane was the only one with access to World Tree, and the one he brought here was still too young. The leaves of the World Tree in the Eclipse Domain would surely not be as good as the ones Shane would bring from his pocket dimension.

The brew had incredible effects, and even if not mentioned in the appraisal, it was also good for her skin! It made her skin vibrant and supple.

Many of them also discovered this and didn’t want to part with it.

Still, she wanted to reward her dragon...

Because of that, she planned to ask Bart for another Skybrew before answering Travis’ message.

***

In the meantime, while the sun hadn’t fully risen yet, the camp station was already stirring.

Inside a canvas tent near the southern edge of Springriver’s outer wall, Winston sat quietly, lacing up his boots.

The tent was cramped, but warm. His wife, Hira, was still asleep, curled up beside their youngest daughter. Their older son, Tovin, had already slipped out to help with water hauling. Winston could hear the distant rattle of buckets...

He then reached into the cloth satchel near the tent’s entrance and pulled out a small bundle, four slices of dried bread, and a tightly wrapped portion of radish stew, big enough for their family.

It was the portion given to them by the shelter... Nonetheless, Winston only took one slice of bread for his breakfast since he could get more at work or at the trading shop... He set the stew aside on a folded cloth near Mira’s pillow, along with a note scratched on scrap parchment:

”Eat before noon. I’ll bring seasoning tonight.”

He stepped outside, and he could already smell the scent of cooked radish stew drifting from the communal kitchens. Around him, dozens of tents formed a patchwork neighborhood, temporary homes for the thousands who had left Silver Mine Camp.

Winston had been a miner for four months in that place after his family was recruited by Diana through a mysterious stone.

In any case, he heard that once his son and daughter were of the right age, they would also have to work since they had talents that could be helpful in their shelter.

Nonetheless, Winston had to work now... Although he was a miner for several months, he could still help pave the roads.

It was the job he had selected since he couldn’t do farming...

”I should visit the monument first before working...” Winston muttered as he headed to Shane’s Warlord Monument.

It was a place Winston discovered after walking around the shelter... Apparently, it could give him strength that could last for half a day!

He had never seen Shane in person, but he believed that once he did so, he might actually kneel and worship him!