Chapter 49: Forging the Future

The war factory of Solmara stood before them, filled with forgotten weapons, blueprints, and unfinished constructs—the remnants of an army that never saw the battlefield. It was a monument to innovation, and now, it was theirs to finish.

Elias stood at the center of it all, his mind racing. His hands twitched at his sides, already imagining what could be built, what could be restored.

Lira watched him warily. "You're about to go full mad scientist, aren't you?"

Cecilia grinned. "Oh, he definitely is."

Elias ignored them, stepping up to one of the blueprint walls. The designs etched into the metal were incredibly detailed—schematics for armor, weapons, and energy-based technology that shouldn't exist in this world.

His gaze landed on a particular schematic—one for a fully integrated war exosuit, its structure reinforced with kinetic amplifiers and modular energy shields. It was the next evolution of his gauntlet, but on a whole new scale.

Marco ran a hand through his hair, muttering to himself as he inspected one of the workbenches. "The level of engineering here is… insane. This isn't just lost knowledge. This is centuries ahead of anything in the kingdom."

Kierian, standing nearby, nodded. "The Vanguard knew that magic alone could not win against the Primordial Lords. That's why we developed these weapons—to bring balance to a world that refused to evolve."

Reinhardt clapped a hand on Elias's shoulder. "So, boss, how do we start?"

Elias took a breath. "First, we need to see what still works. This place has been abandoned for centuries—there's no guarantee the power sources, machinery, or even the metal itself is still viable."

Marco nodded. "I'll analyze the materials and enchantments. If we're lucky, the Vanguard had some self-sustaining energy sources."

Cecilia smirked. "And if we're not lucky?"

Lira sighed. "Then we probably set off some ancient death trap."

Elias waved a hand. "We'll deal with that when it happens."

Lira groaned. "That's not reassuring."

Activating Solmara

They spread out, each taking a section of the facility. Ivy and Reinhardt tested the armor prototypes, checking for weak points and mobility restrictions. Marco worked on deciphering the forge controls, while Elias focused on reactivating the power systems.

The main console of the factory was a massive, circular interface, covered in runes and mechanical switches. Unlike traditional magic devices, it seemed hybridized—partly enchanted, but also mechanically driven.

Elias ran his fingers over the control panel. The dust was thick, but the structure was intact. "If this still works, we might be able to restart the entire facility."

Kierian stepped beside him. "Solmara was designed to sustain itself indefinitely—but only if its core systems weren't compromised. If the power grid is damaged…"

Elias cracked his knuckles. "Then we fix it."

He flipped a switch.

For a second, nothing happened.

Then—

A deep hum rumbled through the walls.

The entire factory shuddered, and one by one, the forges ignited, casting an orange glow over the metal constructs. Ancient gears groaned back to life, and the sound of power surging through circuits filled the air.

The lights in the chamber flickered—then stabilized.

Solmara had awakened.

Marco let out a stunned laugh. "It… actually works?"

Reinhardt grinned. "Now that's a forge."

Kierian exhaled, looking around in awe. "After all these centuries… the Vanguard's legacy still stands."

Elias couldn't stop the wild grin from spreading across his face. "Then let's get to work."

The First Prototype

With the facility active, Elias wasted no time diving into the schematics and materials, analyzing what could be built immediately. The first priority was upgrading their existing gear before developing full-scale war machines.

He spread out several ancient blueprints, marking the designs that were feasible.

"This," Elias said, pointing to one, "is our first target."

It was a lightweight exosuit prototype, designed for enhanced mobility, durability, and adaptability. The suit had modular slots for different weapons, reinforced joints for high-impact combat, and a built-in energy dispersion system that could negate magical attacks.

Lira crossed her arms. "And you think we can actually build this?"

Elias smirked. "We can try."

The Work Begins

Over the next few hours, the team threw themselves into restoring the facility and testing prototypes.

Ivy and Reinhardt worked on reinforcing the prototype armor, testing its durability and movement efficiency. Marco fine-tuned the forge systems, ensuring that the materials didn't degrade over time. Cecilia and Lira experimented with the weapon designs, testing energy-based blades and modular projectile launchers. Elias worked on the exosuit core, integrating a new kinetic energy storage system—one that could absorb and redirect impacts, making the suit resilient to both physical and magical attacks. The First Suit Activation

After hours of work, the first prototype was complete.

Elias stood in front of it, a metallic frame designed for speed and precision, its blackened plating infused with kinetic regulators. It was still unfinished, but it was the first step toward something greater.

Reinhardt nudged him. "You gonna try it on or what?"

Elias took a deep breath, stepping into the frame. The metal clasps secured around him, the interface lighting up as the suit synced to his neural inputs.

The moment he moved, he felt the difference.

His steps were lighter, his movements faster, and when he flexed his fingers, the suit responded instantly, amplifying his strength and reaction speed.

A slow grin spread across his face.

"Now we're talking."

Lira sighed. "Oh no, he's gonna get so cocky now."

Cecilia smirked. "Yeah, but admit it—this is kind of awesome."

Elias rolled his shoulders, feeling the power at his fingertips. This was just the beginning.

The Primordial Lords thought humanity was weak.

They were about to learn how wrong they were.