The days following the council meeting were a blur of frantic activity. The urgency in the air was palpable. Though the people of Aldarin and the neighboring cities had long lived knowing that the ley lines were failing, the reality of their world's imminent collapse now felt more suffocating than ever. Time, it seemed, had grown as unstable as the magical currents beneath their feet.In the heart of the Great Spire, a hidden chamber—one few knew existed—was brought to life once more. It was an ancient room, built long ago by the first elven architects, designed specifically for the day when the ley lines might falter. It was here that The Bridge would be created.Elandriel stood at the edge of the chamber, watching as elven mages and engineers worked together, weaving magic and technology in a desperate attempt to craft the portal that would lead them to the other world. Tall, slender elves in flowing robes whispered incantations in ancient tongues, their hands glowing with the faint luminescence of fading magic. Beside them, dwarven artisans manipulated sleek machines powered by the last vestiges of geothermal energy. The soft hum of machinery and the crackle of unstable magic filled the air, blending in a strange, harmonious symphony of science and arcana.Brun Stoneforge approached Elandriel, his face grim. "It's coming along," he said, his voice low, though she detected the deep lines of worry in his expression. "But there's no guarantee this portal will hold. The magic is... weakened, even more than we feared. It might tear apart at the last moment."Elandriel sighed, her gaze never leaving the mages and engineers. "We have no choice, Brun. If we don't complete this portal, we'll all die here."The dwarf leader grunted in agreement but remained uneasy. He pulled a small crystal from his pocket, its surface etched with intricate dwarven runes. "We've begun the process of recording what we can—our history, our knowledge of building, engineering. But we'll never be able to bring it all." He clenched his fist around the crystal. "Our legacy will be fragmented at best. My people's story, written in half-finished lines."Elandriel turned to him, her expression softening. "I know the loss is painful, Brun. But perhaps we can rebuild in the new world. Dwarven ingenuity has always been resilient, and you will have the chance to teach future generations. Not everything will be lost."Brun nodded, though it was clear the thought brought him little comfort. His people had spent thousands of years perfecting their craft, their knowledge etched into the stone of their vast underground cities. The idea that they would leave it behind—much of it never to be rebuilt—was a burden he bore heavily.The distant sound of heavy footsteps drew their attention. Karg Bloodclaw entered the chamber, flanked by several of his orcish warriors. His eyes flicked over the scene with a look of disdain. He had little interest in the intricacies of magic or the delicate fusion of technology and nature that the elves and dwarves prized so much."What is this, then?" Karg growled as he approached Elandriel and Brun. "I thought we were building a bridge, not playing with fairy lights."Elandriel bit back her irritation. Karg's impatience had been a constant thorn in her side throughout the entire process. "The Bridge is not a simple structure, Karg. It requires precision—both magical and technological. If the balance isn't perfect, the portal won't be stable. We're dealing with energies far beyond mere physical construction."Karg scoffed. "Balance. Stability. Words the elves cling to while their world crumbles around them." He jabbed a finger toward the workers. "You should focus on the essentials. Weapons. Food. Supplies. Not these... magical trinkets you're so fond of."Brun stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "We need the portal to function, Karg. Without it, your warriors, your supplies—they mean nothing. This isn't about survival alone. It's about crossing into another world without everything falling apart the moment we step through."Karg's eyes narrowed. "You think your magic will protect you in this new world? If there is no magic there, then your power is worthless. Only strength will matter. My warriors are ready. We've already packed what we need—food, armor, weapons. We're prepared to fight."Elandriel frowned. "And you think that's all you'll need? We're going into a world we know nothing about, Karg. We've only seen glimpses, and those visions suggest it's not the same as ours. Yes, it may be without magic, but that doesn't mean we should abandon what makes us who we are. If we lose our knowledge, our technology, our culture, what's the point of surviving?"Karg grunted, folding his arms across his chest. "Survival is the point, Elandriel. Everything else is secondary.""Not to my people," Elandriel said, her voice steady but tinged with an edge of defiance. "We've built something here—something worth preserving. Balance between magic, nature, and technology. We may have failed in the end, but we won't let that vision die."A low rumble reverberated through the chamber, and all eyes turned to see Dravith gliding in, his long, sinuous body coiling like a serpent of shadows and light. His voice was a soft, melancholic hum, like the wind through ancient trees. "Balance... yes, balance is what we have lost. And yet it is what we must preserve, even in a world without magic."Elandriel turned to him, her expression softening. "Dravith, you've traveled the lands more than any of us. You've seen the damage firsthand. Do you still believe we can preserve the balance in this new world?"Dravith's molten gold eyes flickered with ancient wisdom and sorrow. "I have watched forests wither, rivers dry, and creatures vanish. I have given rites to the last of the nature spirits, knowing they will not survive the crossing. Our world is dying, yes. But I believe that life, in all its forms, is worth preserving. Even if magic does not exist in the new world, we must bring with us the seeds of hope, the remnants of life from our home. Perhaps they will take root in the mundane soil of this new land."Karg sneered. "Seeds? Hope? You're speaking in riddles, dragon. You think plants and creatures will matter in a world where magic doesn't exist?"Dravith's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, a deep, primal growl resonated in his throat. "Magic or no, life finds a way. And none of you will leave behind the last of what remains."Elandriel stepped between the two, her voice calm but insistent. "We need to stop fighting among ourselves. The Bridge will only work if we all agree on what we prioritize. Yes, we need to survive, but we also need to think about what kind of future we want to build in this new world. Karg, your warriors are important, but brute force alone won't ensure our survival. And Dravith, I know how much the creatures of our world mean to you, but we can't bring them all."The room fell into a tense silence as each leader weighed their next words. Finally, it was Brun who broke the stillness."We have limited space and time," the dwarf said quietly. "We need to make hard decisions. Each of us must choose what is most important to our people—whether it's knowledge, strength, life, or magic. But we can't bring everything. And we can't afford to delay."Elandriel nodded slowly. "Then let's make those decisions. We'll bring the most essential magical artifacts, enough to preserve what little remains of our knowledge of balance. We'll gather seeds, saplings, and creatures, but only the few that can survive the crossing."Karg huffed but remained silent. He knew Elandriel was right, even if he hated the thought of leaving anything to chance.Brun looked down at the crystal in his hand, the weight of his ancestors' legacy pressing heavy on his shoulders. "My people will bring what we can—our technology, our tools. We can rebuild, but we need the means to do it."Dravith's eyes closed briefly, as if hearing the faint cries of the last creatures of the forests. When he opened them again, they glowed with a soft, ethereal light. "I will do what I can to save them," he said softly. "But I will not watch them all perish."Elandriel turned back to the mages and engineers working tirelessly on The Bridge. It was nearly complete, but there was no telling how long it would hold once activated. The portal to the new world—their only hope—would soon be ready.But at what cost?