In the Absence of Leaders

A few hours after Cliff and the others had left, the cleanup team had worked tirelessly. They had put together tools and devised methods specifically designed to locate and remove the poison beacons embedded deep within the river.

Thanks to the influx of demi-human expertise into the fortress, their technology had advanced significantly, enabling them to achieve feats previously thought impossible.

As the last poison beacon was carefully extracted, tension rose among the crowd. Everyone stood still, holding their breath, until the water was tested and declared clean. A wave of cheers and jubilant cries erupted, echoing through the camp.

They were proud, ecstatic to have rid the river of the toxic contamination that had plagued it for so long. Now, all that remained was to await their master's return for the canal's inauguration.