Kael followed Mallory through the bustling landing stage, his mind still reeling from his conversation with Elowen. Everything about this place was foreign to him, from the large steel carts being loaded with supplies to the shouting and chaos all around him. For a moment, he felt like he was walking through a different world, and it almost made him freeze in place. But Mallory's impatient voice quickly pulled him back to reality.
"Come on, don't just stand there daydreaming. We don't have all day!" Mallory barked, clearly on edge.
Kael blinked and hurried to catch up, trying not to let his awe show too much. It was obvious Mallory was stressed, her arms filled with papers and documents that seemed to be spilling out of her grasp, her freckled face scrunched up in concentration as she pushed through the chaos of the landing stage. She wasn't the most welcoming guide, but he supposed it wasn't her job to be friendly.
As they made their way toward the Ironhaulers, Kael's eyes couldn't help but wander to the enormous vehicles that made up the convoy. Each was reinforced with thick steel armor, towering over the workers like beasts of burden. The sight was impressive, to say the least, but a nagging thought tugged at Kael's mind. How were these enormous things supposed to move? They looked as if they weighed more than a small house, and the sheer size of them made him wonder what kind of force would be necessary to drag them across the harsh landscape of the Tower.
He glanced at Mallory, who was already a few steps ahead.
"Hey, um… How do these things move?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Do you pull them or something?"
Mallory stopped mid-step, her shoulders rising slightly as if she was holding back a laugh. Then she turned toward him, her face breaking into an amused grin.
"Pull them? What, did you think we'd hitch them up to some kind of giant monster and hope for the best?" she said, wiping a tear from her eye as she chuckled.
Kael opened his mouth to respond, but Mallory didn't give him the chance.
"No, they move on their own. Ironhaulers are fitted with artificial cores and runes. They draw in essence from their surroundings and store it in the core, which then powers the whole thing. The runes are just there to help control and direct the energy," she explained in a tone that suggested this was common knowledge.
"It's a pretty efficient system, really. No need for horses or… abominations," she added with a sly grin.
Kael nodded slowly, trying to wrap his head around the concept. It sounded advanced, almost too advanced for what little he was used to seeing. Just then, the 3rd Ironhauler nearby roared to life, the hum of essence surging through its systems. Kael watched as the runes on its exterior flared to life, glowing softly in intricate patterns. He couldn't quite understand how any of it worked, but it was hard not to be impressed by the sight.
"Well, something like that," Mallory muttered, clearly still amused by Kael's earlier question.
They continued walking, weaving their way through the swarm of workers rushing to prepare the convoy. Kael noticed the workers' frantic movements, carrying crates of supplies and tools, their faces a mix of determination and exhaustion. His thoughts wandered back to the journey ahead, wondering just how dangerous this trip would really be. The Tower had thrown nothing but danger at him since the moment he stepped into it, so he wasn't exactly comforted by the sight of the heavily reinforced Ironhaulers.
After a moment of hesitation, Kael turned to Mallory again.
"How dangerous is the trip going to be?" he asked cautiously.
Mallory didn't stop walking, but she did sigh, as if the question was something she'd heard far too many times.
"Dangerous enough," she said bluntly.
"But you'll be fine… probably. I mean, this is the Tower. If you're expecting a smooth ride, you're in for a rude awakening."
Kael grimaced at her vague answer. It was exactly what he didn't want to hear, but he couldn't argue with the truth of it. Before he could ask anything else, Mallory turned to face him, her freckled face creased with impatience.
"Look, I get that you're excited or whatever, but I don't have time to answer every little question you have. There's a schedule to keep, and I'm drowning in tasks. So, unless it's life or death, just… follow along and don't slow me down," she said sharply.
Kael's eyebrows knitted together, annoyed by her tone. He hadn't meant to bombard her with questions, but everything around him was so new, so different. He was trying to learn, after all. But he swallowed his irritation, reminding himself that he was just a guest in all of this. A fledgling Fatewalker with no rank or importance.
They finally reached the 5th Ironhauler, and Mallory gestured for Kael to follow her inside. As he stepped in, he was taken aback by how spacious the interior was. The Ironhauler wasn't just a simple transport cart—it was more like a moving fortress. There was a main cabin at the front where the drivers sat, a kind of living room area in the middle, and at the back, a row of bunk beds stacked two high along each wall. In total, there were enough beds for eight people, and Kael could see that some of the spaces were already claimed by the gear scattered around.
Mallory led him to one of the empty bunks, pointing to the top bed on the right side of the room.
"This is yours. Get comfortable. You'll meet the others soon enough—they're all busy with their tasks right now," she said, her voice a little softer than before.
Kael climbed up to inspect the bed, relieved to see that it wasn't too bad. It had a decent mattress and enough space for him to stow his belongings on the side.
"And just so you know," Mallory added with a raised eyebrow, "don't think you're just going to travel for free. We'll need every hand available once we hit the road, so be ready to pull your weight. It's not going to be easy."
Kael felt a surge of anxiety at her words but pushed it down. The truth was, he didn't mind the idea of helping out. After everything he'd been through, it felt good to finally have a place, a role—even if it was temporary. The weight of responsibility settled on his shoulders as he sat on the bed.
For now, though, his excitement at the prospect of setting out into the unknown outweighed his fears. He was on the brink of a new chapter in his journey.
Little did he know, the road ahead would be anything but easy.