Ch 97: Confronting the Truth

The Ironworks had always been a place of industry and camaraderie, where the clang of hammers and the glow of molten metal defined the rhythm of life. But now, whispers of doubt and unrest wove through its corridors like an unseen fog, growing thicker with each passing day. The unease came to a head when a group of prominent individuals decided to take matters into their own hands.

Vornar stood at the forefront of the group, his presence steady and reassuring. Beside him were Tharic, two seasoned knights, and a respected master smith named Hallen. Each bore the weight of their doubts, their trust in the Augury eroded by the strange events of the past weeks.

"I still think this is a waste of time," Tharic grumbled as they approached the sanctum's heavy iron doors. "If we're wrong about this—"

"We're not," Vornar interrupted calmly. "And if we are, we'll owe the Augury an apology. But ignoring this would be worse."

Hallen nodded, his expression resolute. "If the Augury has nothing to hide, he'll explain himself. If he does... well, we'll know soon enough."

The group pushed open the doors, stepping into the sanctum. The room was dimly lit by flickering torches, their light casting long, wavering shadows across the walls. Shelves lined with ancient tomes and scrolls stretched to the ceiling, and the air was thick with the scent of old parchment and lingering magic.

But the Augury was nowhere to be found.

The group spread out, their initial determination giving way to a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

"Where is he?" one of the knights muttered, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"Gone," Vornar said, his voice steady but thoughtful. "The question is why."

As they searched the sanctum, their unease deepened. On a large central table, they found maps of the valley, meticulously detailed with markings and annotations. Some areas were circled in red, others crossed out entirely. Strange symbols and runes were scrawled in the margins, their meanings unclear but undoubtedly tied to the unnatural events in the valley.

Tharic picked up one of the maps, his brow furrowing. "These markings… they match the dormant zones."

Hallen leaned over the table, his eyes scanning the documents. "And these notes—look here. He's been tracking the Galgameths and Lava Worms, manipulating their movements."

The group fell silent as the realization sank in.

"He's not just predicting events," Vornar said, his voice calm but firm. "He's controlling them."

In a corner of the sanctum, one of the knights uncovered a stack of papers covered in the Augury's handwriting. The writings were a mix of arcane calculations, personal reflections, and cryptic musings.

"This one mentions the runes Kalem found," the knight said, holding up a sheet. "He's been monitoring everything happening in the valley."

Tharic picked up another paper, his eyes narrowing as he read. "And here… he's planning something. A ritual, maybe? It's not clear, but it's big. Bigger than anything we've seen."

Hallen's expression darkened. "This explains why he's been avoiding certain areas and steering us away from others. He's been hiding this from us."

Vornar placed a hand on the table, his calm demeanor masking the storm of thoughts beneath. "We need to understand the full picture before we act. Jumping to conclusions will only make things worse."

Tharic scoffed but didn't argue. "Fine. But if this all blows up in our faces, I'll remind you I wanted to act."

"You always do," Vornar said with a faint smile. "Let's focus."

As they pieced together the evidence, the group's emotions shifted from shock to anger.

"We need to bring this to the people," one of the knights said. "They have a right to know."

"Not yet," Vornar said, his voice calm but commanding. "This evidence isn't enough. If we go to the people now, it'll only sow chaos. We need to find the Augury and confront him directly."

Tharic nodded reluctantly. "And we need to keep this quiet. If he realizes we're onto him, he'll disappear for good."

Hallen stepped forward, his voice steady but urgent. "Then we split up. Some of us stay here and search for more evidence. The rest start looking for him."

The group agreed, their plan forming quickly. But as they prepared to leave the sanctum, a sense of unease lingered in the air. The Augury's sanctum, once a place of guidance and wisdom, now felt like the lair of a spider, its web stretching across the valley, unseen but deadly.

Outside the sanctum, the group paused, their expressions grim.

"If we're right about this," Tharic said, his voice low, "then the Augury's been manipulating us from the start. Everything—the predictions, the warnings, the dormancy—it's all been a lie."

Vornar nodded, his voice steady. "Then we'll find him and get the truth. Whatever his plan is, we'll stop it."

As they descended the mountain path, the weight of their discovery pressed heavily on their shoulders. The Augury's true motives remained a mystery, but one thing was clear: the trust they had placed in him was shattered, and the future of the valley now hung in the balance.

For Kalem, who had stayed behind to work in the forge, the coming days would bring revelations and challenges he could never have anticipated. But for now, the fate of the valley rested in the hands of those who had dared to question the Augury's authority—and the truths they had uncovered would change everything.