The Ruleforge

The rhythmic clang of hammer on steel echoed through the dim workshop, a symphony of fire and metal that had been Elias Thorn's lullaby for over a decade.



Knowledge, sudden and complete, bloomed in his mind like ink dropped in water. Not words exactly, but understanding that bypassed language entirely and settled into his bones with the certainty of muscle memory.



Rule Integrated: Bone Breaker.

Effect: Target bone structure compromised on contact.

Authority: Elias Thorn. Duration: Permanent.



"No," he said aloud, his voice in the tool-cluttered space. "No, that's not... that's not how things work."