Chapter 71: The village Lights up
It started with a single thought while Caelen sat alone in his house, staring at the small glowing bulb he had set up over his desk.
The faint hum of the water wheel outside reminded him that power was flowing—quietly, steadily. He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, thinking.
"I'm living in here like it's a home. Everyone else is just surviving," he muttered. "That's not good enough anymore."
The village had grown so much. Dozens of houses now stood where there was once only dirt and trees. People were building, learning, even laughing. But every night, the same thing happened—darkness crept in, and fear returned. Parents lit torches outside their doors. Children huddled close to the fire pits. Zira even walked the streets at night with a lantern, keeping an eye on things.
"I can fix this," Caelen said aloud.
The next morning, he gathered his thoughts and walked to the town hall, a rolled-up blueprint under one arm. Inside, Garin, Zira, Elira, and the dwarves were already discussing food reserves and training schedules.
"I want to light up the village," Caelen said simply, placing the blueprint on the table.
Zira looked up from her notes. "What do you mean, light up?"
"Electric lights. Every home. Every street. We've got water wheels running, which means we've got power. Now it's time to use it."
Dorgrim scratched his beard. "Power, sure... but lights? You mean glow-stones?"
"No," Caelen said. "Wires. Filaments. Controlled current. It's hard to explain all the science behind it, but I can show you how to make it work."