Ch 93: Strange Directives

The day began with a tense murmur rippling through the Ironworks. The Augury, once the unchallenged voice of wisdom, had issued a series of increasingly baffling orders. Miners and scouts whispered among themselves, questioning why they were being told to avoid certain regions—areas that, to their knowledge, were rich with resources. Instead, they were being directed toward barren zones or tasked with what seemed like irrelevant chores, such as cataloging old, unused equipment.

Kalem stood at the edge of the crowd in the plaza, his arms crossed and brow furrowed. The Augury's directives didn't sit right with him. He couldn't shake the feeling that the warnings weren't about safety but about steering people away from something.

"Another 'prediction,' huh?" Tharic's gruff voice cut through Kalem's thoughts.

Kalem glanced at the burly smith, whose expression was a mix of skepticism and irritation. "It doesn't make sense," Kalem said quietly. "Why would we avoid areas that are finally starting to stabilize? And why send people on meaningless tasks when we need every hand working together?"

"Because he's the Augury," Tharic replied, shrugging. "People trust him. They always have."

"That doesn't mean he's infallible," Kalem shot back, his voice tinged with frustration.

Before Tharic could respond, Vornar approached, his heavy boots echoing on the stone ground. "What's the commotion here?" he asked, his sharp eyes darting between the two.

Kalem hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I think the Augury's predictions are guiding people away from something important. Something he doesn't want us to find."

Vornar studied him for a long moment, his face unreadable. "You've been restless ever since those ruins," he said.

"Because they're connected to all of this," Kalem insisted. "The runes, the dormant creatures, the strange energy—it's all linked. And now the Augury's orders are steering people away from those areas."

Tharic crossed his arms. "You're starting to sound like one of those conspiracy-obsessed researchers," he grumbled.

Kalem's jaw tightened. "I know what I saw. And I'm not just going to sit back and ignore it."

Vornar held up a hand, silencing both of them. "Enough. We'll settle this tomorrow," he said firmly. "Tharic and I will go with you to investigate. If there's nothing to your suspicions, you'll drop this and focus on your work. Agreed?"

Kalem hesitated before nodding. "Agreed."

That night, the forge was quiet, save for the occasional clink of cooling metal and the crackle of the dying embers. Tharic and Vornar sat near the hearth, sharing a rare moment of quiet conversation.

"Do you think someone's filling the boy's head with nonsense?" Tharic asked, his tone unusually serious.

Vornar raised an eyebrow. "This is a first. I thought you didn't care about him."

"Just shut up and answer," Tharic snapped, his gruff exterior cracking just enough to reveal a hint of concern.

Vornar leaned back, his expression thoughtful. "Kalem spends a lot of time talking with those magicians and merchants, but it's always about minerals, forging, or techniques. He doesn't strike me as someone easily swayed by rumors."

Tharic grunted. "True enough. He's so single-minded about forging that it's almost… unnatural."

Vornar smirked. "Unnatural? Sounds like admiration, coming from you."

"I'm serious," Tharic said, his tone softer now. "Sometimes, I wonder if he even thinks about anything else. Like how he's going to grow up and live his life."

"What do you mean?" Vornar asked, leaning forward.

Tharic sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "A few days ago, I asked him a simple question—'What kind of woman do you like?' He looked at me like I'd asked him to solve some ancient riddle. After a long pause, I asked, 'What is a woman?' And you know what he said?"

Vornar chuckled. "This should be good."

Tharic's face darkened. "He said, 'A woman, in every race, is a being capable of bearing children.'"

Vornar burst out laughing, nearly spilling his drink. "You're joking."

"I'm not," Tharic growled. "That's what he said. Completely serious."

"Well," Vornar said, still chuckling, "if that's true, it's a whole other issue entirely. But for now, let's focus on tomorrow."

Tharic nodded reluctantly. "Yeah. Hopefully, his suspicions get resolved, and he stops being so paranoid."

Vornar smirked. "So, you do care about him."

"Shut up," Tharic muttered, turning his gaze back to the embers.

The forge fell silent again, but the air was heavy with unspoken thoughts. Both men knew the stakes were higher than they wanted to admit. Kalem's instincts had proven sharp in the past, but questioning the Augury was a dangerous path.

As the firelight flickered across their faces, they silently prepared themselves for whatever truths the next day might reveal.