Sparks cascaded across the black anvil like falling stars as Ferra brought her forging hammer down with relentless thunder.
The field forge burned with intense crimson flame, radiating heat that caused the mountain air outside the cavern to shimmer.
Across the central cavern, three apprentice smiths pumped the twin leather bellows, feeding the white-hot charcoal pit with furious energy.
"These ingot slabs were recovered from the furnace construct at the primary forge station," the lead apprentice noted, stacking the refined bars near the hearth.
"Every scrap of that alloy was bought with our sweat and blood," she replied, inspecting the crystalline grain of the metal.
"We do not waste an ounce of material when our summoner is holding the line."
On the granite workbench rested Hajin's twin blades, their polished edges reflecting the swirling embers that drifted above the hearth.
