There are no city planners or architects among the growing community on my back so the buildings themselves as well as the placement of them are half-hazard at best. Especially with everyone wanting to build their own house. It's interesting how they are able to carve the pieces so that they fit together like puzzle pieces. Reminds me of a log cabin except with somewhat square beams instead of logs. Extremely crude but far better than anything I could have built without nails and a hammer. Nobody seems to have noticed how unorganized the building are. Most of them are going to have to be rebuilt if they ever want to create a proper town much less a city. Until we can get people who are actually capable of planning these things out though, this will have to do.

  While they build, I walk. Until eventually we are able to make our way out of the forest. Well out of the elven forest anyway. We're still in a forest but at my size it's more like tall grass than trees. That's not to say that this forest won't eventually become part of the elven forest given enough time. For all I know these are just younger versions of the other giant trees. The point is I can see clearly ahead of me again. In fact, I seem to have stumbled onto some flat plains because I can see for literal kilometers. I can even spot a dot in the distance that I'm pretty sure is a walled city like Eldenvale.

  I decide to walk towards that city. A week ago, I might have avoided it or sent scouts to gather supplies for my community. At my current size however I'm confident that I can get away if I need to. So, I don't really see any danger in going in person. The only real problem is that now I have to head a bit southward to reach the city. Not a hug problem except that I had been hoping to turn and go north once I got far enough that I could. Then again, the whole reason I waited instead of heading north straight away is the same reason I would have avoided this city a week ago. Still while nowhere near as far south as Eldenvale it is a significant detour.

  Meanwhile in an ornately decorated office. Several people are engaged in a heated discussion.

  "I'm telling you we simply don't have any more room." Says a tall lanky man with red hair. "I don't like the idea of turning people away any more than you do, but we cannot feed and house everyone. No matter how much we might wish to. Our resources are stretched thin as it is."

  Stolen novel; please report.

  "I refuse to accept that" Responds an elderly man with grey hair and a surprisingly poorly maintained beard given the ornate robe he is wearing. "We're not just turning them away. We're sending them to their deaths. Every refugee we turn away is another death on our conscience. You do realize that don't you? There has to be something we can do." He then turns to an armored figure who had been waiting quietly. "Any luck in figuring out the cause of the sudden string of monster attacks. How much do we actually know about what's actually happening in the south."

  "Not a lot I'm afraid" She replies. "So far all we do know is that it's a highly coordinated attack on a scale never before seen. We don't even know what their target is or anything regarding their end goal. If they even have one. We can't even expect aid because our neighbors to the east and west are both experiencing a similar attack. It may even be the same one for all we know. To add insult to injury the kingdoms to the north have apparently considered us a lost cause and are busy securing their own boarders."

  "Those cowards" replies the man in the fancy robes. "The one time we actually need them they bail on us! Once this disaster is over, I shall suggest the king immediately cancel all trade deals. Were it not for the fact that I fear the kingdoms forces will be severely depleted after this I might even suggest declaring war on them for breaking our alliance agreement!"

  Just then a soldier comes barging in. After catching his breath for a second, he begins to speak. "I bring news from the wall. A giant creature has just been spotted, and it appears to be heading directly this way."

  "Dammit." yells the woman through clenched teeth. "Don't tell me the reinforcements we sent to the south have already been wiped out!"

  "Fortunately, no" replies the soldier. "As far as we know the south is still holding. The creature in question is coming from the northwest." He then watches as the womans face goes from sadness, to dread, to relief, to confusion, before settling on a mixture of dread and concern.

  "How many creatures are attacking from the north? What kind of creatures are they? How did they get there without being spotted before now? What about the crown city?" She fires off question after question with the last one being almost more of a plea than a question.

  "There's only one as far as we know." He replies. "As for what kind of creature it is or how it managed to get there undetected nobody knows. All we do know is that it's massive."

  "Very well, return to the wall and See if they've been able to learn anything new since you came to make your report." The man in fancy robes says to the soldier who nods before leaving. He then turns to the woman. "Well, guard captain looks like you'll need to pull some troops of the southern wall to reinforce the northern wall." After which she nods and leaves as well.

  "So much for sending the additional refugees further north" replies the lanky man with a defeated sigh.