Chapter 149 – Stone, Bone, and a New Beginning
The morning fog that clung to the valley surrounding the castle had yet to fully lift when the sounds of clinking metal and scraping stone began to echo from the main courtyard. Among the ruins and moss-covered old walls, dozens of zombies toiled lifting stones, cutting timber, and rebuilding collapsed foundations.
They worked without words, without complaint, without fatigue. Some had rusted metal limbs, others were little more than half-decayed skeletons enchanted with spells to strengthen their movements. But every undead creature labored with the same unwavering purpose: to serve the command of their queen.
Atop the main stairway stood Sylvia.
Her black gown billowed in the mountain wind, and her eyes scanned the damage with the precision of a veteran architect. With a snap of her fingers, fractured sections of the wall slowly fused back together but not everything could be repaired with magic. Many parts of the castle were simply too old, too fragile, or too far gone.
"Fifteen pillars need replacing," said Celes from her right, hands busy writing on a thin sheet of enchanted metal that shifted colors in response to tracking magic. "Three bridges between towers are beyond repair, and the eastern floor’s heating matrix is nearly dead."
Sylvia nodded, descending the steps past several zombies hauling a spare gate salvaged from the rubble.
"We’ll rebuild the east wing as the logistics barracks. Heating isn’t critical there."
Celes looked up at her while continuing to write.
"We’re short on magical materials. The red crystal veins below this area are only enough to power defenses barely."
"We’ll find alternatives," Sylvia replied. "I’ll send a squad of scouting zombies to the western valley. There’s an old research city in ruins there maybe there are still usable minerals left. Or I’ll hunt down some monsters."
Zombies nearby bowed their heads as Sylvia passed, silently. They had no expressive faces, but their posture radiated absolute loyalty.