The forty-eight hours passed in a blur of sterilisation. Kale and Lazek worked in silence, transforming the fourth-floor master laboratory into a dull workshop.
The specialised tissue grafts were hidden behind heavy lead-lined panels deep in the stone floor. The Ignis Core was stored in a secret compartment beneath the primary hearth, its elemental radiation fully suppressed by dampening runes.
Kale set out rows of clay jars containing common earth-sap and low-grade mineral ores. The stone tables were cluttered with half-finished clay shells, copper wires, and chisels.
To any observer, the space belonged to a typical, young artificer obsessed with basic defensive constructs. Neo remained sealed within Kale's shadow.
The synthetic skin-patch on Kale's neck had fully integrated, the cold numbness now a permanent fixture against his throat. He wore his high-collared Master robes, the gold trim along the collar a silent testament to his status.
