A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, followed by a wave of relieved murmurs. The villagers exchanged hopeful glances, their faces brightening with a newfound sense of possibility.
"When?" the elderly man asked, his voice eager. "And where?"
"Three days from now," Dakrea replied. "At dawn. The dragon will meet you at the base of the mountain."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled villagers. "But be warned," he added, his voice taking on a serious tone. "The dragon expects you to come prepared. It wants to hear a compelling reason why it should allow you to remain on its mountain."
The villagers nodded, their expressions sobering. They understood the gravity of the situation. The dragon's tolerance had reached its limit, and they needed to convince it to grant them the right to continue living on its land.
