Chapter 20 – Festival Andora
The clear sky hung over Andora. The morning air felt fresh, the scent of hot metal, freshly carved wood, and Verine's toasted bread blended in an invisible harmony. What was once a silent village now hummed with life.
Wonho stood near the workshop, adjusting a simple mechanism on his creation, accompanied by Thadrick who admired the small spring he had attached. Across from them, Garren and Gorln were busy guiding villagers in setting up a stage made from the finest pine wood in Andora. Gorln even showed off his new cart, which could be pulled by two horses, drawing awed gasps from Calem and Maelis.
"If we get everything ready before noon, we can start rehearsing the kids on the stage," Ahsan said, adjusting papers written in various languages. Beside him, Lily and Cedric arranged crafts made from twigs and flowers. Lily laughed loudly when Cedric misspelled his own name, then fixed it with her small hands.
On the edge of the field, Taeyang observed farmers grinding the harvest. Rakka and Thog helped move the sacks of produce into storage. Vel, the young lizardman, swiftly trained the village horses to get used to the sound of music and human presence.
Meanwhile, Yerin and Selka arranged their medical supplies at the exhibition tent. They prepared for a first-aid demonstration. Occasionally, Yerin glanced at Marvin, who stood silently, watching the village activities with his arms crossed. Arlain approached, offering the quiet man a warm cup of tea.
In the corner of the village hall, Jaehyun discussed production reports with Belinda. Handmade spreadsheets with ink scribbles decorated the table. "If we start taking orders, we'll need a permanent trade route," Jaehyun said. Lurik, who had been listening nearby, nodded eagerly. "I've already contacted two merchants from Rivenwood."
"Make sure it doesn't leak to Thalveran," Claude cut in, appearing with Elden, walking slowly with a wooden staff. "Today we celebrate, but don't let your guard down."
Hyunwoo stood in the middle of the main square, overseeing everything. Behind him, Vanessa Valemont silently observed—a beautiful figure with white hair that looked like ice sculptures. She never smiled, but didn't refuse the bread Verine offered her. "Warm, isn't it?" Verine said with a wink. Vanessa only nodded faintly.
As noon approached, the drums were beaten. The festival began.
Folk music played by the villagers filled the air, and food was served at every corner—from vegetable-stuffed bread to meat broth made from local livestock. The whole village was alive.
Geralt, Mirella, and Thoren arrived together. They marveled at various new tools: lightweight metal plows, wooden toothbrushes, and cheap refillable pens. Viola Hayward arrived last, drawing many gazes. The woman walked gracefully with long purple hair flowing, wearing a thin dark purple robe. "Andora... it's more than just a village now," she whispered as she locked eyes with Hyunwoo.
Andora held a small parade. Children ran wearing wooden masks made by Calem. Maelis showcased her new woven cloth. In a corner, Verine offered Andora's traditional food to visitors from outside villages: Rivenwood, Cloudmere, Darkhollow, and even some orcs and goblins from the eastern plains. The atmosphere seemed peaceful.
However, that peace was shattered when the Lizardmen procession appeared, bringing crafted goods, vegetables from the fields, and livestock tamed by Thog.
Some guests from outside fell silent. A large orc sneered cynically. "Lizardmen… working in a human village?"
A goblin stood on a wooden barrel. "You're crazy! They could kill you while you sleep!"
A graceful elf woman stared at Vanessa, who stood not far away. "Is this some kind of Thalveran tactic? Letting the enemy in and calling it peace?"
The crowd began to murmur. There were whispers. Suspicious glances. Some visitors even stepped away from the Lizardmen. Vel bowed his head, Thog held the small animal in his arms as if ready to protect it from the world.
Krothar stood tall, but his eyes were wounded.
Then, one of the children from Andora—Lily—ran forward. She held Selka's hand, the Lizardwoman doctor.
"She helped treat my leg when I fell last week!" she shouted innocently.
All eyes turned toward her. Lily raised her leg, showing a neat bandage.
"It hurt so much back then. But she was patient, she was kind. She's not a monster."
Silence swallowed the square.
Hyunwoo slowly stepped forward, then stood beside Lily. His voice was calm but heart-wrenching.
He turned to Krothar and the Lizardmen.
"We all know that race, shape, and skin color can't be united by logic... only by hope."
"Hope that, in one place, any race can wake up without fear of being burned, hunted, or hated."
Geralt from Rivenwood stared silently.
Viola from Luminfall folded her arms, her eyes sharp but silent.
An old orc with scars on his face stepped forward. "In my village, I lost two children because of racial conflicts. I killed goblins because they killed my brother. But today…" He pointed at Cedric, Lily, and Vel, who were now laughing together. "I see something I never even dreamed of: a human child, a lizard child, and an orphan child sitting together, sharing food."
He bowed his head. "If there's a place in this world where we can forget our grudges, maybe that place is called Andora."
The murmuring turned into whispers of admiration.
Vanessa stepped forward. Her voice was cold as usual, but this time there was a slight tremor at the end. "I've killed creatures that looked like them... because that was my duty before. But today, I witnessed something I could never have imagined: a power greater than war. The power to believe."
Claude added loudly, "Andora isn't perfect. But we choose who we want to fight for. And we choose each other."
A young goblin from the visiting crowd whispered to his friend, "Maybe… we can learn from them too?"
An elf smiled faintly. "If this place can accept even Vanessa, the War Officer, who knows, maybe we can be accepted too."
As the day turned to evening, the visitors were not only admiring the food and buildings of Andora. They began to ask about vacant homes, fields, and job openings.
That day, Andora didn't just host a festival.
They opened the door to hope.
Hyunwoo finally stepped onto the stage, surrounded by his friends. Jaehyun was to his right, Yerin and Wonho to his left, while Taeyang stood slightly behind, holding a small Earth Industries flag. Cedric and Lily sat at the front of the stage, swinging their legs.
"My friends," Hyunwoo said, his voice echoing. "Today, we are not just celebrating the harvest, but the birth of the future."
He then introduced Earth Industries and its products: farming tools, writing instruments, textiles, even carts and soap made by Verine. The crowd erupted in warm applause.
Then, Krothar stepped onto the stage with Vel, Selka, and Thog. Some villagers from other places stood silent. But Krothar only bowed his head and said, "We are not perfect. But we want to live in peace. Here... we found that."
The first round of applause came from Cedric. Followed by Lily, then Garren, and finally, all the villagers of Andora. The outsiders had no choice but to accept that Andora... was different.
At night, as the sky was adorned with fireworks from the lightweight powder created by Wonho, the village leaders gathered in the hall.
The room was quiet after the other village leaders left one by one, leaving Hyunwoo sitting with his shoulders slightly slumped, staring at the map of Andora on the long table. Soft footsteps followed behind. Viola stood at the doorway, her purple hair shimmering faintly in the oil lamp light.
"Hyunwoo," she said softly, almost like a whisper.
Hyunwoo turned. "Is there something else you want to discuss?"
Viola stepped inside, slowly closing the door behind her. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides.
"I can't go back like this," she said, her voice trembling. "My village... Luminfall, is on the brink of destruction."
Hyunwoo was silent for a moment. "I know your situation is difficult. But what do you expect from me, Viola?"
She took a deep breath, then spoke softly.
"My people are sick... we have no clean water, no medicine, and the crops have failed three seasons in a row. Children are starting to leave the village. I... I've tried everything."
Viola's purple eyes were teary. She bit her lower lip, then finally knelt before Hyunwoo.
"I beg of you. Please help us, Hyunwoo. You're the only one who might be able to save Luminfall. I'm willing to give up anything... land, authority, even my dignity, if it means my people can live."
Hyunwoo stood up from his chair. His eyes locked with Viola in silence. The room remained quiet for a long time until only their hearts were heard.
"You're a leader, Viola," Hyunwoo finally spoke. "And as a leader, you know... every help comes at a price. I cannot spread my strength in all directions."
Viola lifted her face. Her tears fell, making her mature face appear fragile.
"So... you will let us die?"
"No," Hyunwoo replied, his tone cold. "But I won't give everything just because you're crying."
Viola stared at him for a long time before slowly standing up. "Then... what do you want?"
"Luminfall to be handed over completely to Andora," he answered without hesitation. "Not cooperation. Not an alliance. You surrender it. But you may still maintain your village's identity. Its name, its culture. That's all I can offer."
Viola was silent for quite a while. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Fine... if that's the only way for them to survive... I accept."
It was then that Hyunwoo's lips curled into a small smile. Not a warm smile, but one full of certainty.
"A wise decision," he murmured softly.
Viola looked at him, faintly seeing the hidden ambition behind his face. "You know... that look just now... it's very much like King Thalveran."
Hyunwoo didn't respond immediately. But his smile remained.
"The difference," he said quietly, "is that I still know what should be protected... and what deserves to be destroyed."
Viola turned away without saying another word, leaving the room with heavy steps. And when the door closed behind her, Hyunwoo stood alone in the room, staring at the map now bearing a new name: Luminfall – Protectorate of Andora.
Author's Note – End of Volume 1
By ImAbsoluteAltair
Wow. You made it to the end of Volume 1. If you're reading this, let me just say: thank you. Seriously, thank you for sticking with Hyunwoo and the people of Andora through all the chaos, hope, and hard work.
When I first started writing Ashes of Andora, I just wanted to tell a story about people trying to build something real in a world that felt broken. But along the way, it became something more—a story about family, about unity between different races, and about standing tall even when the world tries to push you down.
This volume has been full of firsts—first friendships, first battles, first heartbreaks, and of course... the first festival! I hope it made you laugh, tear up a little, and maybe even root for a few unexpected characters (yes, even the lizardmen).
Volume 2 is already in the works, and trust me—it's going to be bigger, deeper, and way more intense. Tensions will rise. Alliances will be tested. And the truth behind this strange new world will slowly begin to reveal itself. and things are about to get a lot more intense. Big choices. Bigger consequences. And a whole lot of ambition. So I hope you'll stick around and see where the story goes from here.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading. Let's keep building Andora together.
– ImAbsoluteAltair