The industrial quarter of Eternis Primus had been transformed overnight. Normally a landscape of towering foundries and whirring assembly lines, it now bore the shape of a colossal proving ground, an open space reinforced with steel platforms and reinforced test zones. The air was thick with the scent of heated metal, coal, and arcane energy as engineers, artificers, and machinists made their final preparations.
The Iron Dominion's delegation stood at the observation tower, their crimson banners fluttering in the wind. General Kael Dorn, his expression impassive, stood at the railing, his mechanical arm resting lightly against the polished steel. Warlord Karst, his severed limb now replaced with a newly forged prosthetic, remained silent, his pride still bruised from the previous day's duel.
Aedric watched them from across the observation deck, arms folded behind his back. The trial was simple: both Vandemir and the Dominion would present their most advanced war machines, demonstrating their power, precision, and tactical effectiveness. The judges? The very battlefield itself.
Sebastian stepped forward. "The Dominion's engineers have completed their setup. They're ready to begin."
Aedric nodded. "Then let's see what the Iron Dominion has to offer."
With a signal from Kael Dorn, the Dominion's iron gates rumbled open, and their first machine emerged.
The Dominion's Might
A behemoth of steel and fury, The Siegebreaker stomped forward, its movements shaking the earth. A quadrupedal war engine, it resembled a monstrous fusion of a mechanical beast and a siege tower. Thick armor plating covered its body, runes glowing along its joints as it activated its overclocked steam-core, sending geysers of white mist into the air.
Mounted atop its massive frame was a rotating turret, outfitted with twin Magna Cannons—a Dominion specialty that unleashed concentrated plasma bolts, capable of melting through fortified walls.
A mechanical voice rumbled from within its core: "Siegebreaker, online. Target calibration in process."
Kael Dorn turned to Aedric. "This is the pinnacle of Dominion war engineering—designed to breach any fortress, to withstand direct bombardment, and to crush any resistance beneath its feet."
Aedric watched without expression as the Siegebreaker's cannons whirred to life, locking onto a set of steel barriers reinforced with magic.
BOOM—!
A single blast erupted from the Magna Cannons, sending a wave of molten energy searing through the barriers, reducing them to a pool of glowing slag. The crowd of gathered engineers and officers murmured, impressed despite themselves.
Sebastian tilted his head. "Efficient."
Kael Dorn allowed himself the ghost of a smirk. "Your turn."
Aedric exhaled, then raised a hand. Across the proving ground, Vandemir's massive hangar doors groaned open, revealing their answer to the Dominion's power.
Vandemir's Answer
From the depths of the Arcane Foundry, a monstrous shape emerged. Sleek and refined, it hovered rather than walked, its four massive thrusters lined with intricate runic carvings that pulsed with a steady blue glow. Unlike the Dominion's war engine, which was a walking fortress, Vandemir's creation was something entirely new—a fusion of airship technology and battlefield supremacy.
The Stormfang.
A floating dreadnought, equipped with modular energy cannons, retractable arcane shielding, and a fully automated targeting system that adjusted mid-battle based on the movements of its enemies. Unlike the Dominion's Siegebreaker, which relied on brute force, the Stormfang represented adaptability and precision.
"Presenting our first prototype," Aedric said smoothly. "The future of mobile warfare."
The thrusters pulsed, and the Stormfang glided effortlessly across the field, faster than any siege weapon had the right to be. Its turrets locked on, and in a single motion, its four main cannons split into eight, each charging up with crackling arcs of energy.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!
A barrage of precision blasts erupted, each shot striking a separate target, obliterating them simultaneously. The scorched remains of the test dummies lay smoking, with barely a single wasted shot.
The Dominion's engineers, hardened as they were, visibly stiffened at the display. The level of accuracy, the mobility, the seamless integration of arcane energy with heavy artillery—this was not just a weapon of war. This was a revolution in battlefield dominance.
Kael Dorn's mechanical fingers flexed involuntarily. "Impressive."
Aedric let the silence stretch before speaking. "Unlike static siege engines, the Stormfang can engage in full-scale battlefield maneuvers. Its modular design allows multiple configurations, meaning that it can serve as both an artillery platform and an airborne command center."
Kael Dorn studied Aedric carefully. "You are not interested in brute strength."
Aedric met his gaze. "Strength alone does not win wars. Strategy does."
A long moment passed. Then Dorn exhaled, a slow nod of approval forming. "Vandemir's strength is not in mere power. It is in ingenuity."
Aedric allowed himself the barest hint of a smirk. "Now you understand."
A Shift in the Balance
After the trial, the Iron Dominion's delegation withdrew to the Ironhold Embassy, a fortified section of Eternis Primus prepared for their stay. Aedric knew what would follow—the real negotiations.
As he walked through the city streets that evening, Sebastian walked beside him, as ever the silent shadow at his side.
"The Iron Dominion respects us now," Sebastian murmured.
"They understand we are not to be ignored," Aedric corrected. "Respect? That is yet to be determined."
Sebastian glanced toward the naval yards, where the Leviathan-Class Warship gleamed under the moonlight. The world was watching Vandemir, waiting to see whether it would rise or fall.
Aedric's eyes flickered toward the distant horizon, where new conflicts waited unseen. He knew that today was only a test. A game played on neutral ground.
But soon, the real battles would begin.
And Vandemir would be ready.,