Morning arrived without ceremony.
Starforge move the way it always did.
But then—
The sense of dread came. A raw, instinctive pressure rolled over the entire territory at once.
Heads lifted.
Eyes narrowed.
The barrier above Starforge dimmed like a lamp smothered by a palm.
And the sky went dark.
Thousands of Alloykins appeared overhead in a single breath of space.. They arrived like a verdict being stamped into reality.
At their front hovered one presence that made the air feel heavier.
An Eternal.
His head was crowned by a lattice of floating metallic shards, each piece turning slowly as if listening to the world's heartbeat.
He looked down at Starforge the way a smith looked down at a flawed blade. Dispassionate, certain, almost disappointed.
Below, Starforge did not scatter.
They hardened.
Because Anvil-Horn had already forged their fear into discipline.
The Eternal Alloykin lifted his hand.
His Law flared.
Metal screamed into existence.
