A breathless courier sprinted through the courtyard gates, splinters of shattered timber clinging to the shoulders of his coat.
"The five-band entity emerged through the service shaft!" the runner shouted, pointing toward the mining ridge.
"It is smashing through Ferra's protective braces and drawing energy directly from the lower levels!"
Ferra transferred the severed band and reinforcement plate into her insulated equipment case, locking the separate compartments tight.
She released the Legendary Chain only after confirming that every fragment sat securely behind secondary restraint clamps.
"I will follow right behind you with the evidence wagon," she told Hajin, tightening her leather tool belt.
"Do not let that creature's remaining fittings make physical contact with our copied ceramic plate!"
"They will never get the chance," he replied, tightening the links across his knuckles.
"We will dismantle its modifications before it reaches the surface staging yard."
