The forge district of Blackvein had doubled in size over the last three weeks. Hammers rang nonstop. Forges blazed day and night. Teams from four different factions worked shoulder to shoulder:
Blackvein clansmen hauling heavy plating, southern engineers directing crane operations, Aetheric sky-smiths calibrating phase crystals, and Thalira's archivists marking precise rune alignments on every structural joint.
Aiden walked the scaffolding on the third level, boots ringing against metal. The Aether-Rail Citadel was taking shape fast—too fast for comfort, but they had no choice. The dormant constructs in the Veiled Expanse were stirring more frequently. They needed mobile power now.
"Phase crystals on the lower hull plates," Aiden called down. "Offset them by twelve degrees. We're not building a wall. We're building something that moves."
