A little over a month had passed since the grand commemoration and the unifying of the Five Tribes, and each of the great nations had many a tale to tell in their efforts to rebuild and restore what they had lost.
The serene, tranquil island of Heart, a vast biome of lush greenery and floral abundance, had become a lively centerpiece of commerce and diverse cultural artistry, home to craftsman, scribe, farmer and sculptor alike from all corners of Kumandra. While many chose to return to their respective homelands to rebuild and reclaim what they had lost, some saw the potential for a promising new life in this leafy green key and ultimately decided to remain behind and start over. Though some feared they would not be well received by the people after so many years of conflict, for many it proved to be a surprisingly smooth transition, a testament to the hospitality and neighborliness of Heart's supportive community, and much like Kumandra itself, most were able to flourish and begin anew in this land of bountiful opportunity.
This sudden burst of growth and diversity in Heart's existing populace did not confine itself to the newly-minted cordial ties between its neighboring kingdoms, either. Though many of the Dragons, Sisu included, were still out exploring the endless horizons of Kumandra, re-familiarizing themselves with the present-day geographic and societal nuances of this heavenly body they were once again sharing with mankind, a number of them chose to stay behind and make Heart their new home, and what a warm reception they received. Many of Heart's citizens extended their kindness by sharing food and lodgings with the Dragons, offering them a place to stay, and eventually even bringing some of them into the folds of their families.
It didn't take long for the Dragons who remained behind to settle in, and soon they were intermingling with Heart's buzzing community on the regular. Some took to helping rebuild what was lost in the wake of the Druun's devastation, assisting carpenter and farmer alike in their labors, while others made it their obligation to "water" the viridescent foliage surrounding the kingdom, tending to its boundless gardens like groundskeepers, so to speak. And free to be themselves, some simply chose to entertain Heart's younger populace, frolicking with and chasing excited children in the streets, engaging in their favorite games, and even taking these enlivened pups into the sky, held safe in their gentle claws, to see their beautiful home and the land surrounding it from the heavens above. Though some parents still showed just the slightest bit of discomfort seeing their kids being taken up to potentially fatal heights, not once had a child been harmed in the arms of a Dragon, and every child treated to this experience was absolutely tickled pink (literally in most cases, Dragons were very playful, after all) to be able to soar through the air like these resplendent fluffy waternoodles that, until now, they had only known through artwork, song, and the annals of Kumandra's rich history.
The Dragons that had made Heart their new forever home, much like their human counterparts who had migrated from its neighboring provinces, were welcomed with open arms and open hearts, and this symbiotic relationship of goodwill and charity among its growing diversity of citizens, combined with its verdant beauty, was a palpable illustration of why Heart was venerated as the shining gemstone of Kumandra.
But with the Dragons return to the world came newfound onuses for mankind to shoulder, for Kumandra was still in a state of tentative uncertainty with the five kingdoms only having begun to fortify their alliances with one another, and while Benja was hopeful for the future, the consequences of humanity splintering and quarreling with one another over such petty, trifling matters as a difference of opinion were devastating, with the balance of the realm left in complete chaos and disarray, and the world could not afford to lose the Dragons a second time.
The Chieftains daughter, though she was ultimately successful in her quest to deliver Kumandra from the brink of ruin and was now revered by the Dragons as a heroine, a savior even, now had new duties to uphold. Lady Raya, Princess of Heart, once a Protector of the Dragon Gem, was now a Protector of the Dragons themselves, sworn to defend their benevolent kind from any that would threaten them with harm or malice. It was a rather heavy responsibility for one to bear, one that she knew required the absolute deepest commitment, but not once did she ever consider it a burden, for she cared deeply for their people as she did for all who shared this great celestial body they called Kumandra. After all, one of them was, and always would be, her best friend.
What's more, though Raya still maintained her fierce warriors spirit, training day in and day out to keep her senses sharp and her skills polished, she now also served as an Ambassador of Heart, an emissary of concord for her people, charged with promoting amity and good relations between the tribes as they gradually worked towards a future in perfect harmony. Admittedly it was not her strongest talent, playing the role of a peace-keeping envoy who was the representative and voice of an entire nation, and she still had much to learn about the subtle nuances of diplomacy, but she was trying her best, and her father was immensely proud of her for that alone.
Being able to place her trust in people blindly and have belief in something greater than herself was a concept that seemed foreign to Raya once upon a time, but if there was anything she had learned in her quest to heal Kumandra, it was that sometimes you just had to be willing to take the first step, to take a leap of faith. Sometimes a single spark of courage is all that is required to ignite the fires of hope. That was an eye opening perspective for Raya, a change in disposition she was eternally grateful to have experienced, and she had dear Sisu to thank for that, wherever she was.
On the subject of change, the influence of Dragon Magic being reintroduced into the world brought about transformation in regions of Kumandra never thought possible. The arid dunes of Tail had seen an environmental phenomenon not reported in centuries: Rain! Dragon-conjured precipitation touched down on the ultra-fine grains of Tails burning sands for the first time in over five hundred years, providing both traveler and resident alike with a source of clean, renewable hydration and at times even soothing shelter from the blistering heat. Not only that, but with the introduction of a self-sustaining water source in a previously water-deprived environment came the necessary components, the metaphorical cogs if you will, to power and turn the gears of creation. This change served as the catalyst for a surge in flora across Tails dusty plains, and also allowed fauna from other regions to migrate and find survival, or even thrive, in the harsh desert climate, bringing diversity into Tails existing habitat, allowing the brutal but necessary cycle of nature to flourish in full, and breathing newfound life into Tails once barren, virtually inhabitable wasteland. It was still a skin-scorching savannah at its core, make no mistake, but to see what a dab of mystical wyrm-touched rainfall could do...Dragon Magic truly was something divine.
What's more, the savvy boy tycoon of Tail's dustbowl settlement, Boun, was on the receiving end of some Dragon Magic himself. There are few joys in life greater than an orphaned child being reunited with their parents, and many a tear was shed by those present to witness Boun at long last being able to run into the waiting arms of his mother and father, held firm in the comfort of their loving embrace, alongside his elder brothers and sisters. It really was a page out of a fairy tale for young Boun.
As Boun and his kin came together once more, his father noticed that the prized family establishment had blossomed under Boun's command, and saw in his shrewd progeny a fine successor to carry on his lifes ambition. Recognizing the raw talent this bright young boy possessed, single-handedly keeping the family dream alive in their "absence" with his entrepreneurial spirit and his knack for culinary creativity, his father ultimately decided to step down and leave the reins of his enterprise in Boun's capable hands. As would become evident in the coming months, this decision was well founded, and Boun was all too eager and proud to carry on his fathers legacy.
Though at one point the Shrimporium seemed like it was little more than a snack bar on a boat, this compact, unassuming eatery on sails had made quite a name for itself, particularly around Heart and Talon, the two sovereign states where Boun most frequently conducted business. It was rare for this humble, waterbound diner not to draw in a full house of patrons whenever it came into port, the Shrimp Congee in particular being both a popular staple and a quick sellout. Even Fang came to welcome Boun's dealings on their shores, and while his Rice Special was a harder sell to Fang's somewhat socially-aloof populace, they too eventually came to appreciate his gift of the palette.
The polar expanse of Spine was still a challenge for the Shrimporium to establish commerce with though, thanks to its glacial coastlines. The arctic waters were often condensed into a thick, icy slurry or even frozen over completely, making boat travel perilous at best and completely impossible at worst. Boun did have a "solution" in the works, a revolutionary new form of air travel allowing speedy delivery across great distances...well, it sounded fancy on parchment, but really he was just planning to employ Dragons into his firm, since they possessed the gift of "flight."
But a large portion of the Dragons were still out exploring the reaches of Kumandra, trying to find their place in the world, and because of the sweltering heat, not many chose to linger around the desolate lowlands of Tail, even though quite a few would frequently cross its boundaries while traveling from one place to the next (the rainfall left in their wake being the predominant reason why Tail had seen such a drastic change in its ecosystem). Sisu would probably jump at the chance to put such a cool concept into practice, but she was still off catching up with her serpentine siblings somewhere in the world, and even Raya had not seen her since the great feast (though unknown to Raya, that would change very, very soon), so that wasn't an option at the moment.
As resourceful as he was, Boun would figure things out in good time, but for now, land travel was the only reliable means of transporting goods and engaging in trade with Spine. This restricted the Shrimporium to only being able to offer its services ala carte, in the form of each entrees separate components, ready to eat and packaged for preservation, and because of this, Spine unfortunately did not get the full authentic Shrimporium experience. Tong was unsurprisingly okay with that though, considering he wasn't exactly the biggest fan of Boun's household cuisine to begin with, particularly his use of spices, and he deduced (incorrectly, as the coming months would prove) that his people probably wouldn't be fond of Boun's cooking either.
Still, one bad egg does not spoil an entire basket, and Boun was always looking at the bigger picture, always looking for ways to improve the industry, and by proxy, fatten the fistfuls of Jade that his fathers company was raking in. There was still plenty of room to grow and expand, but the Shrimporium was certainly on the path to success, and its reputation on the rise.
Speaking of Spine, while Dragon Rain unfortunately did not have quite the same revitalizing impact on the frosty northern tundras, Tong's bitter winterlocked province was doing well all the same. Among the victims of Druun petrification were Tong's beloved wife and infant daughter, a contributing factor to Tong's gruff exterior in the quest to complete the Dragon Gem, even though his friends could all see what a big softie he really was underneath, particularly around children. No parent should ever have to see their child perish, and Tong thought he had lost a piece of himself that he would never reclaim when the Druun took from him that which was most precious.
To his everlasting joy, being reunited with his loved ones after the fall of the Druun rekindled his tender soul and his gentle, teddy-bear demeanor resurfaced in exponential dividends. Thanks in no small part to his comrades efforts, he had been made whole again. He had his family back, and he couldn't wait to introduce them to his companions in the future, with Noi in particular being a potential playmate for his little girl.
Until that time though, he was still the Chieftain of Spines hardy populace, whom learned to adapt and thrive on the biting, sub-zero climate of these frigid alps, and they needed his leadership in this delicate period. It didn't take long for his people to re-establish everyday necessities, food and shelter being the biggest priorities (they were able hunters, after all), and Tong soon redirected his focus on training a new generation of Axe-Bladers, Spines fiercest warriors, whom refined the school of polearm combat and made it into an art form; a battalion of full-fledged Axe-Bladers in their prime made the rest of Kumandra's armed forces, even the Fang Army itself, look like farmhands by comparison. Even though the danger of the Druun was no more, Kumandra was far from a safe place to live and the next great threat was always around the corner, and blast if he was going to allow his people or his newfound allies, the Dragons included, to be left defenseless again.
Before departing for home, Tong swore allegiance with Chief Benja and pledged that, should the need for assistance ever arise, he and his legions would answer Heart's call for aid, and on that day a great alliance was forged, a monumental step forward towards Benja's dream of a world in complete unity. In time, Tong would swear the same oath of fealty to the other tribes, even Fang, pledging that he and his brave fighters would be there for any one of them if they were called upon, and though he intended to honor his commitments to the end of his days, he prayed in his heart that such a time would never come to pass, that there would never be a need for his elite to take up arms or ride into battle. Hope and strive for the best, but always remain vigilant and be prepared for the worst: That was Tong's guiding principle in life.
Meanwhile, the once slovenly port town of Talon was seeing a significant economic spike of its own, in the form of increased commerce and tourist attention, a product of the tribes coming together and establishing free, unrestricted travel between one another. Granted, not much had changed in terms of Talon's everyday dealings. Every evening was still a jamboree as it had been before, but as word of mouth spread throughout Kumandra, Talon's festive nightlife became something of a sightseers attraction, a kind of landmark if you will, something that every passerby had to come and experience for themselves at least once. Though a positive change to Talon's financial future, there honestly was not very much to say about it at first.
But Noi's reunion with her mother and grandmother most certainly deserved a special mention. They came out of their Druun-induced paralysis in something of a stupor, not knowing exactly what had happened to them, and naturally assumed the worst when they realized their precious baby girl was nowhere to be found. In their panic and hysteria, these two distraught ladies frantically spent several days and nights tirelessly searching the piers of Talon high and low for their missing child, and had almost given up hope when their search ultimately proved fruitless. As you might imagine, the rapture that ran both ways when Noi stepped off the boat merely three days later and came face to face with mama and nana once again was the stuff of Rainbows and Unicorns. Suffice to say that, much like Boun, there were many a tear shed when mother (and grandmother) and child came together once more.
But while Boun's family reunion concluded with the young entrepreneurial savant inheriting his fathers business, Noi came away with a treasure of even greater value. Noi did not return alone, and her elders were not sure what to make of the trio of troublemakers that had accompanied her back to her homeland. However, it soon became evident that Noi and her companions loved each other dearly, and her elated mother, seeing how close Noi and her three little friends had grown in their time together - and learning of how they had cared for and protected Noi in her parents absence - chose to formally adopt the Ongis as her own, and just like that Noi went from being an only child to having three different big brothers to look up to. Having already played the role of guardians for so long, Dyan, Pan and Uka all took to their promotion as protective older siblings with great enthusiasm and had many, many, many hugs to give, for their new mommy, for their little sister Noi, and of course for Grandma Noi, who now had four monkeys to watch over instead of just one.
Furthermore, while Noi's mother and grandmother probably wouldn't have been too proud of their past criminal record (even though it was a necessary evil just to survive), Raya was not the only one to come away with a new perspective of the world. Noi, Dyan, Pan and Uka each took a moral lesson or two from their epic journey as well, and they soon gave up their life of delinquency and instead redirected their energy into something a bit more honest and a lot more ambitious: Entertainment.
They became full-time street performers, trading the art of swindling pockets for the art of entrancing tourists and everyday passerbys. Night after night, their rotating sideshow act, consisting of torch juggling - while balancing on a tightrope, no less -, monkey pyramids, hoop-leaping acrobatics (it's not every day you see a toddler performing handstands and backflips, unless you lived in Talon), stilt dancing, and more, entranced and pulled in bewitched onlookers from far and wide. It was a welcome and fresh addition to Talon's already lively venue, and even though it was a pretty basic and predictable routine, by Talon's standards at least, just the fact that the ringmaster was barely beyond the diaper and pacifier phase of her life made it a mind-blowing spectacle to behold, and because of this it never became stale or lost its charm, no matter how many times it was repeated.
But the final sendoff was, no question, the highlight of the show, the Big Top adieu that every viewer stuck around until the end to see, and they pulled out all the stops for this electrifying encore. Each Ongi would shoulder another, with Noi perched at the top, forming an elastic human ladder of sorts, and using a juggling torch and a flask of cooking oil, Noi would blow an unbroken stream of flame in a radial 360 sweep around their entire ringside, which was lined with rockets, smokepots and sparklers galore, creating a domino effect that lit up the sky in a blaze of scintillant starfire and culminated in a city-wide flashbang that left the entire strip of Talon's populated harbors momentarily blinded and deafened, its rickety planks eclipsed in smoldering "fog", though only lingering briefly until the lakeside breeze could harmlessly carry its caustic fumes off into the ether.
This daily curtain-call of carnival sorcery became known as the "Dragon's Breath" finale, and it was the searing kiss of death for many an observers eyebrows, not that any of them cared after having witnessed such a jaw-dropping presentation. To them, it was all part of the front-row experience, and once news of this stupefying extravaganza had made headlines in other kingdoms, Talon really did turn into a must-see tourist hotspot overnight, to the point where its shambly piers became almost unsafe to tread.
Of course, to say that this hazardous feat of pyrotechnics didn't cause Noi's mother and grandmother at least some degree of concern would have been a lie, but given this deft toddlers heroic reputation and her achievements to date, she was hardly averse to something as trivial as playing with fire. Just by itself, this illusionary display of sense-dampening hocus pocus always managed to draw in a full ring of enthralled spectators, showering this accomplished youngster and her three equally talented primate partners with thunderous applause and bucketfulls of Jade in gratuity, more than enough to cover the cost of props and materials, put a banquet on their dinner table every evening, and live comfortably off of the rest.
But even with this windfall of hard-earned income, home was still home to them, and they never sought anything more lavish or grandiose. Even with six people now sharing this crude, rudimentary hovel they called Casa de Noi, they were happy with what they had.
And yes, because of this now routine exhibit of explosive razzle-dazzle, the skies of Talon were designated a no-fly zone for Dragons at night. They knew to tread carefully around Talons airspace when the sun went down, and to date none had been harmed by Noi and company's three-ring circus act. That didn't stop them from attending the show personally though, or at least watching from the waters below. They enjoyed a great performance as much as the next person.
The kingdom of Fang, however...or rather, its bodying government, was left in a state of extreme flux. Though no one in Kumandra held any ill will towards the people of Fang after all was said and done, a lot of damage had been inflicted at Virana's hand, both physical and emotional, and one could not just simply brush it all aside and pretend it never happened. Though Virana took full responsibility for her actions, avowing that her brutal methods were not at all justified by her good intentions, Virana now knew that she was not fit to lead, that she perhaps even posed a danger to Kumandra's well-being, and ultimately chose to step down as Chieftess and resigned her rule, leaving the fate of Fang's future in Namaari's hands.
Little did she know that Namaari had a bomb of her own to drop.
When Namaari ascended to the throne, she had two immediate directives to institute, and one of them left her mother, and by proxy the people, absolutely speechless. The first was to officially disband the Fang Army and suspend its soldiers from service. While this at first glance seemed like a hasty decision on Namaari's part, retiring what was once considered to be - at least until Tong's elite division of Axe-Bladers rose to prominence again - the most accomplished military force known to Kumandra, especially during such a delicate period of transition, a lot of needless destruction had been perpetrated at their speartips, and very few of its soldiers took any issue with this decision. For some it simply meant they were free to spend more time with their families or pursue other interests that they could never commit to before, while others...well, many were simply tired of all the bad blood to begin with.
Of course, there was always a grave new threat lurking around the corner in the world of Kumandra, and it would not be a terribly difficult task to reinstate Fang's veteran infantry if ever the need to organize a seasoned militia to thwart such danger came to pass, but whatever political conflicts between the tribes themselves might arise in the future, violence and oppressing force was most certainly not the approach to resolve them. There was always a better way.
The second was a body blow to the entire kingdom of Fang, and it all boiled down to one simple truth: Namaari could not trust herself anymore. Kumandra was nearly driven to extinction on account of her actions, and even though she was acting under the command of another, Namaari fervently believed that history was doomed to repeat itself under her rule, that she posed just as much of a threat to the welfare of Kumandra as her mother did, perhaps even moreso. So stubbornly she held to this conviction, and so fearful it made her, that the only winning play in this position, she concluded, was to completely remove herself from the board.
And so Namaari, the rightful heir of Fang's throne, also chose to step down and relinquish her position as Fang's next Chieftess, instead handing over control of the senate to its people, converting the kingdom of Fang into a Republic of sorts. This was the last move anyone expected Namaari to make, least of all her mother, who was not sure how to react at first. Yet it was what she truly felt was best for both herself and her people, and though they accepted it, they now had to acclimate to a new system that was completely foreign to them, and even to the rest of the world, taking their future into their own hands instead of having someone else decide it for them.
But her role was not yet over. Given enough time, Fang's citizens might eventually elect another official to take the throne and reinstate the standard of Monarchy, but the people still believed in Namaari and looked up to her as a torch-bearer of sorts, a light to shine the way forward, even if she had absolutely no faith in herself. Regardless of her personal feelings, Fang's populace needed a diplomat during this rocky period, a peaceful delegate acting on behalf of their realm, and Namaari, though not at all confident in her capacity to represent her nations best interests, reluctantly accepted the charge when pressed about it, only out of a personal sense of duty to her people, vowing to serve as their voice when faction meetings were ordained and nothing more. Though naturally she looked up to her mother for guidance in this role, as any confused child might, Virana knew that Namaari's abilities and sense of virtue were far beyond any advice she could ever put forward, and simply urged Namaari to trust her heart and "Do what feels right." Though simple, it was, in all honesty, some of the best advice anyone could ever give her.
Namaari still had to find the courage to face her friends at some point, including Sisu, for even though she knew they had all long since forgiven her, she had yet to forgive herself. But that was a trial for another day, and though Virana knew that she too would eventually have to answer to the other tribes for her wrongdoings, possibly even face a tribunal for war crimes at some point, she was okay with that. She accepted responsibility for her transgressions, made no excuses for them, and was willing to endure whatever punishment, if any, was deemed fit for her villainous deeds.
But until then, this reform in political structure, and Namaari's decision to abdicate the throne, was a refreshing change that she believed could ultimately be to Fang's benefit, one that the other tribes might even learn from over time. If nothing else, it left Namaari and Virana free to spend more time together, not as the Chieftess and Commander of a once warmongering sovereign state, but simply as mother and daughter. Virana came to greatly respect this choice and accepted it without opposition, praising Namaari for her moral integrity and taking solace and pride in the knowledge that her daughter was a far stronger and wiser woman than she.
And of course, one could not forget about the Dragons themselves, whom had at last begun to settle down and reacclimate themselves to the world they had been absent from for so long. While Humanity had securely anchored its tethers to Kumandra's terra firma, the waters were prime real estate for Sisu and her people, and the Dragons made themselves a far-stretching community of their own along the ever-reaching shores and the calm depths of Dragon Lake itself, building their quaint but awe-inspiring dwellings through magical creativity and the blending of artistic concepts from each kingdom, using nature itself and the primal elements as their medium. Rough-hewn mansions of clay, bedrock, limestone and vibrant coral, each within view of the next, began to border the peripheral coastline of Dragon Lake, each one easily able to house five or more of these jumbo-sized waterwigglers. Sisu, Pengu, Amba, Pranee and Jagan were all able to share one quite comfortably, and their shimmering den just happened to be right across from the shores of Heart Palace, in plain sight, unbeknownst to Raya.
These magnificent structures not only served as housing for the Dragons, but doubled as a reservoir of sorts, channeling pristine polychromatic waters through their sublime, dazzling abodes into fountain-like spillovers which fed into the lake itself, providing a clean, never-ending source of lifeblood for the entire realm to share. They had finally found their place in the world, and they honestly could not have picked a better place to settle, for Kumandra's predominant body of water, the Dragon Lake, was the very essence of their roots. Not only were they right at home in their natural habitat, connected to all stretches of Kumandra, but through their own community and culture, they brought each of the great factions that much closer together.
The five tribes had now become six.
In time, it was Chief Benja's greatest desire that six would eventually become one, that all kingdoms of Kumandra, including the Dragons and their newfound community, would some day meld into one society, a single grand utopia, with all inhabitants of the realm, Human and Dragon alike, living together harmoniously as they once did in the ages of old, walking hand in hand, sharing and rebuilding this beautiful world together in the days of peace.
Granted, there was still much to be done in the coming years before that lofty vision could even begin to take shape, but just to see the incredible progress that had been made towards that ambition, to see the five great tribes (now six, counting the Dragons themselves) finally coming together and coexisting amicably after an eternity of pointless conflict made Benja's heart sing in seven different octaves. For the first time in so long he felt a true sense of hope, that what he sought to accomplish, even if it was still many years away from being achieved, was no longer just some crazy pipedream. It was something that could be made real. And one day it would become real, seeking Kumandra made whole, restored to its full glory and beauty, its people completely joined together as one.
Until that day though, he was content with the way things were now. It served as the brick and cement, the foundation for something far greater on that dazzling horizon, and for his dearest Raya, with each tribe at last having solidified their ties to one another, it meant that she and her friends could now visit one another whenever they fancied. Even if they had all returned to their homelands to be with their loved ones and rebuild, distance apart and cultural divergence was no longer any sort of barrier.
And that went doubly for Sisu herself, who, now living more or less at the center of all five kingdoms, and with the gift of Waterbending at her clawtips, could go wherever she pleased, merely a hop and a skip away from seeing any of her beloved friends at a moments notice. Heck, she was more or less neighbors with one of them, only a short sprint across the glassy shores from dropping in on them at her leisure.
And it was high time she paid that very special someone a very special surprise visit.