The Ironworks was no stranger to chaos, but the tension brewing among its people now was unlike anything Kalem had ever seen. It wasn't just the lingering ash clouds or the occasional tremors that unsettled the air. It was doubt. Doubt in the Augury, doubt in the leadership, and doubt in each other.
Kalem sat with Vornar and Tharic in the forge's common room, the air heavy with the heat of molten metal and the weight of unspoken thoughts.
"We can't ignore what we found," Tharic said, his voice a low rumble. He leaned forward, his forearms resting on the table. "The runes, the energy—it all points back to him."
Vornar, leaning back in his chair, crossed his arms. "And what do you propose we do? March up to the Augury and accuse him of manipulating the valley? You might as well hand him a blade and beg for an execution."
Tharic's eyes narrowed. "So, we do nothing? Let him continue whatever he's planning until it's too late?"
"No," Vornar snapped. "But charging in without proof or a plan will just get us killed—or worse, branded as traitors."
Kalem stayed quiet, his gaze shifting between the two men. They had always been steadfast allies, their camaraderie forged through countless battles and shared hardships. Seeing them at odds now felt like watching iron clash against iron.
"We don't have to rush into anything," Kalem interjected, his voice calm but firm. "We need more information. If we act too soon, we'll lose whatever advantage we have."
Tharic grunted, leaning back in his chair. "And what if waiting costs us the chance to stop him?"
"We've already waited this long," Vornar said. "A few more days won't change much. But acting rashly could ruin everything."
Meanwhile, the unrest within the Ironworks was becoming harder to ignore. Whispers spread like wildfire, growing louder with each passing day. The Augury's predictions were no longer taken at face value, and his decisions were being scrutinized more closely than ever.
In the marketplace, a group of miners huddled together, their voices low but intense.
"You've noticed it too, haven't you?" one said. "The Augury's orders—they don't make sense anymore."
Another nodded. "He told us to abandon the southern slopes, but that's where we found the richest veins last season. Why would he keep us away?"
"Maybe he knows something we don't," a third miner suggested.
"Or maybe he's hiding something," the first shot back.
Kalem couldn't walk through the Ironworks without hearing snippets of similar conversations. The people were growing restless, their faith in the Augury faltering.
In the training yard, Kalem overheard two warriors discussing the recent strange directives.
"I'm telling you, something's not right," one said. "The Augury's been off ever since the season of fire started."
"You think he's losing it?" the other asked.
"Maybe. Or maybe he's got his own agenda."
Kalem's grip tightened on the hilt of his sword. The doubt was spreading faster than he'd expected.
Back in the forge's common room, the debate between Vornar and Tharic continued.
"You've seen the way people are talking," Tharic said. "They're questioning him already. If we bring this to light, we could rally them against him."
"And what if we're wrong?" Vornar countered. "What if this is all some misunderstanding? Turning the people against the Augury could destroy the Ironworks from within."
Kalem looked between them, his mind racing. "What if we try both approaches?"
Vornar raised an eyebrow. "Both?"
"Vornar, you gather evidence," Kalem said. "Talk to people, dig into the Augury's past if you have to. Tharic, you keep things steady. If the people see us divided, it'll only make things worse."
Tharic and Vornar exchanged a glance, the tension between them palpable.
"Fine," Tharic said finally. "But we don't have much time. If the Augury's planning something, we need to be ready."
Vornar sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Agreed. But no rash moves, Tharic. We do this carefully."
Kalem nodded, a sense of determination settling over him. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but he knew they couldn't back down now.
As the three of them parted ways, Kalem couldn't shake the feeling that the Ironworks was on the brink of something monumental—something that could change everything. And at the center of it all was the Augury, his motives shrouded in mystery and suspicion.