Finding Detemer had been an act of vengeance, but finding it unoccupied had been a stroke of luck.

The lost cities constantly battled for the possession of such a wonderland and the abandoned fortress had changed owners many times since Vladion had been forced to seek asylum in Garlen.

Ruugat had come to Detemer to spit on the legacy of his old enemy, but when he found it empty, he seized the fortress without thinking twice. Detemer itself provided Ruugat with the sturdiest granite for thousands of miles.

Its underground mines replaced the lesser metals and crystals that Ruugat had found during his travels, and filled the many gaps in his structure.

The assimilation and integration of so many resources took time, but when the other lost city had returned from his hunt, Ruugat had already become strong enough to give him a run for his money.

The mana geyser that now carried his imprint and rejecting its old master’s had been the decisive factor of the fight. Ruugat had won by the skin of his teeth, but when months later another, more powerful lost city reached Detemer, victory had come easy to Ruugat.

While other lost cities needed to tap into multiple mana geysers, cajole powerful hosts, or satisfy whatever condition they required to boost their powers, Ruugat of the Earth only needed time and resources.