Ch 99: The Breaking Point

Kalem burst through the Ironworks gates, his face streaked with sweat and soot, his eyes blazing with urgency. The gathered crowd—warriors, smiths, traders, and mercenaries—turned toward him, sensing the gravity of his arrival. His voice cut through the din like a hammer striking steel.

"I've seen him," Kalem declared. "The Augury. He's been behind everything—the Galgameths, the Lava Worms, even the tremors. He's manipulating the valley's magic to isolate it under his control."

The murmurs began immediately, a tide of skepticism sweeping through the room.

A burly warrior stepped forward, arms crossed over his chest. His weathered face twisted in disbelief. "And you expect us to believe he just let you walk away after revealing all that? You think we're fools, boy?"

Kalem stood firm, meeting the man's gaze without flinching. "Yes, he let me go because he doesn't see us as a threat. He thinks his power makes him untouchable."

The skepticism didn't ease. Someone scoffed, "And we're supposed to trust that?"

Before Kalem could respond, Vornar stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding. "Enough. I vouch for him. Kalem is under my wing, and I trust his judgment. If he says this is what happened, then we'll treat it with the seriousness it deserves."

The murmurs quieted, though the tension in the room remained palpable.

Tharic, leaning casually against a support beam, smirked. "Still, I'm surprised you didn't try to take his head off, Kalem. Isn't that how you usually solve your problems?"

Kalem shrugged, his lips twitching into the faintest hint of a smirk. "I'm not suicidal, Tharic. The Augury blocked my enchanted axe with wood. Whatever magic he's using, it's far beyond anything we've seen."

Tharic raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Wood, huh? Sounds like you're spinning tales now, boy."

Before Kalem could respond, a strange pulse rippled through the air, sending an eerie chill down everyone's spines. The forge fires flickered wildly, and a low, ominous hum began to grow, resonating through the room like the growl of an awakening beast.

"What's happening?" a voice cried out from the crowd.

Kalem's eyes widened as recognition set in. "It's him. He's doing it now."

The ground beneath them shuddered violently, and a blinding flash of light illuminated the valley beyond. Everyone rushed to the gates, their eyes locking onto the horizon. Massive glowing runes etched into the earth and cliffsides flared to life, forming an intricate, interconnected web of light.

"It's the runes," Kalem said grimly. "He's activating the entire network. He's sealing the valley."

Gasps and cries of alarm filled the air as the reality of the situation sank in. One of the Ironworks leaders, an older man with a face like chiseled granite, stepped forward. "If he's already gotten this far, what are we supposed to do? How do we stop him?"

Kalem turned to face the group, his expression resolute. "We have two options. We either confront him directly and stop him before the isolation is complete, or we find a way to dismantle the runes without destroying the valley in the process."

Tharic let out a sharp laugh. "Confront him? Didn't you just say he's way beyond us? And dismantling those runes? We don't even know how they work."

Kalem nodded. "I don't have all the answers, but I've been studying them. I know enough to start. If we can disrupt key points in the network, we might be able to stop the process."

"And if we can't?" Vornar asked quietly.

Kalem hesitated, his gaze steady. "Then we'll fight. He may be powerful, but he's not invincible."

The room fell silent, the weight of the decision pressing down on them all. Vornar was the first to speak. "We'll need to split our efforts. Kalem, you take a team to the nearest rune point and figure out how to disrupt it. Tharic and I will prepare a fallback plan—just in case."

Tharic grunted. "Guess that means I'll be sharpening my axe. Not that it'll do much good against magic wood."

Kalem smirked faintly. "Every bit helps."

The group began to move with purpose, dividing tasks and gathering supplies. Outside, the glowing runes pulsed ominously, their light casting long shadows over the valley. For the people of Ironworks, this was no longer just about survival. It was a battle for the very future of their home.

As Kalem prepared to lead his team into the unknown, a sense of quiet determination settled over him. He knew the odds were against them, but he also knew that victory—or failure—would hinge on the strength of their resolve.

And as the Augury's plan unfolded, the valley itself seemed to hold its breath, waiting to see who would emerge victorious.