The Ironworks Plaza was cloaked in a heavy stillness. Hundreds of eyes, from seasoned smiths to miners hardened by years of labor, were fixed on the Augury. The tension in the air was palpable as he concluded his cryptic announcement:
"I will aid in detection to the best of my ability, but the chaos ahead is unavoidable. Prepare yourselves for the Season of Fire."
A murmur rippled through the crowd, but no one dared speak too loudly. Everyone knew what those words meant. After a long, tense pause, the Augury nodded and left the stage, leaving behind a crowd too stunned to move.
Kalem stood among them, his confusion evident. "What just happened?" he muttered under his breath.
Vornar and Tharic were at his side, their expressions grim. Without a word, they began walking away from the plaza. Kalem, still brimming with questions, hurried after them.
When they were far from the crowd, Kalem finally broke the silence. "Alright, enough. What is this Season of Fire, and why does everyone look like they've just seen a ghost?"
Vornar's jaw tightened as he glanced back. "The Season of Fire is a reckoning, Kalem. A time when the valley itself turns against us."
Kalem frowned. "That's not exactly clear."
Tharic grunted, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's the Galgameth," he began. "You've heard of them, right?"
"Those giant lizards that eat ores?" Kalem asked, trying to piece things together.
"Exactly. Most of the time, they're harmless, just feeding off scraps here and there," Tharic explained. "But during the Season of Fire, they go into heat—mating season. They become insatiable, devouring everything in their path. Entire veins of ore, tunnel supports, even forge walls if they get too close."
Kalem's brows furrowed. "Okay, that sounds bad, but how does that lead to all this... destruction?"
"It's not just their feeding frenzy," Vornar said, his voice heavy. "It's what follows. The land collapses under their weight and hunger, and that chaos stirs something worse—the Lava Worms."
"Lava Worms?"
"Massive, fiery beasts that live deep beneath the earth," Tharic said. "They've been dormant for years, but when the Galgameth upset the balance, the worms come to the surface. And when they do, they don't just shift the terrain—they ignite it. Lava flows, volcanic eruptions, landslides. Nothing is safe."
Kalem stared at them, his stomach sinking. "And this happens regularly?"
Vornar nodded. "Every few decades. The valley is torn apart, reshaped entirely. We lose mines, forges, and people. But..." He paused, his tone shifting. "The destruction also reveals treasures—minerals buried so deep no one could ever reach them otherwise. Metals and stones that make everything else pale in comparison."
Tharic smirked grimly. "That's why we endure it. The chaos doesn't just destroy—it creates opportunities. For those bold enough to seize them, at least."
Kalem exhaled, his mind reeling. Creatures that could upend the land, worms that brought fire and devastation, and the promise of unparalleled resources. "And the Augury? How does he help?"
"His magic," Vornar said simply. "The Augury can sense the shifts—tell when a Lava Worm is about to surface or where the Galgameth are heading next. Without him, it's a guessing game. He's the reason we have any chance at all."
The weight of it all settled over Kalem. His grip tightened on his satchel as he looked between the two men. "And what do we do? Just wait for it to happen?"
Vornar's lips curled into a hard smile. "No, we prepare. This isn't just about surviving, Kalem—it's about thriving. The Season of Fire will test you. Your skill in the forge, your strength in battle, your ability to adapt. You'll either rise with it or be swallowed by it."
Kalem swallowed hard. He wasn't sure he was ready, but there was no escaping it now.
"Then I guess I better get to work."
Vornar clapped him on the shoulder, the weight of his hand both reassuring and challenging. "That's the spirit. The valley isn't waiting for anyone, so neither will we."
The preparations began in earnest the very next day.
The Ironworks, normally a bustling hub of individual craftsmanship, transformed into a coordinated war machine. Smiths worked side by side, tempering steel and reinforcing tools to withstand the coming chaos. Every forge burned hotter than ever before, their flames licking the air as if in anticipation of the destruction to come.
Kalem found himself swept into the fervor. Vornar assigned him to a team tasked with creating specialized tools for reinforcing tunnels and stabilizing collapsing structures. "These won't just be tools for smiths and miners," Vornar explained. "They'll be lifelines."
Kalem worked tirelessly, hammering out braces, pulleys, and even crude weapons for those who might have to fend off Galgameth or worse in the chaos. As he worked, he marveled at how the Ironworks seemed to hum with a shared purpose. Rivals who normally wouldn't speak were exchanging techniques, and seasoned smiths mentored apprentices without a second thought.
Tharic, meanwhile, coordinated the mining teams. "If we're going to lose some of our tunnels, we need to extract as much ore as possible before it starts," he said, barking orders as miners hauled cart after cart of precious metals to the surface.
At night, the smiths and miners gathered in the main hall to hear updates from the Augury. His pronouncements were brief but unsettling. "The Galgameth are stirring. By the week's end, they will begin moving."
The room fell silent, save for the crackle of a nearby hearth. Kalem looked around, seeing the fear in their faces. But there was also determination.
When the meeting ended, Vornar approached Kalem with a new task. "You've been working hard, lad, but it's time to focus on your own preparations. I want you to craft something for yourself—something that can withstand what's coming. Use what you've learned."
Kalem hesitated, the weight of the challenge heavy on his shoulders. "What should I make?"
Vornar's eyes glinted with something between a challenge and encouragement. "That's for you to decide. But remember, Kalem—this isn't just about surviving. This is about proving you belong here. Show us what you've got."
As Kalem walked back to his forge, the sounds of the Ironworks around him seemed to take on a new rhythm. The Season of Fire was coming, and with it, the chance to forge something truly extraordinary.