A few days had passed since the Battle of Eastern Dam. Acting Magistrate Petra had been officially seated as governor and was now focused on securing military support from the Osten Empire while maintaining order in the town and ensuring the well-being of its citizens.
For the ti being, the city remained on high alert. Hein's workshop had rallied the work crews for Armatus production, while the pilots, Jack and Rhok, were scavenging the battlefield for usable parts to replenish the city's defence fleet.
In the late afternoon, Hein's spare parts yard was a chaotic hive of activity. tal scraps, composite materials, and crates of ammunition were scattered throughout, while forklifts zipped back and forth, picking and packing with urgency.
Jack arrived in his puny bot, hauling an Armatus arcanite engine on its suspended slings. The engine had been scavenged earlier and, from Jack's initial inspection, appeared to be in decent condition. He carefully maneuvered the bot into a landing, ensuring a smooth touchdown to preserve the integrity of his cargo.
Hein, the thin rabbit Wildren, erged from the workshop wearing his signature cap over his ponytail. His blue jumpsuit was stained with motor oil and sweat, evidence of a long day spent on the assembly line. His brown eyes were half-lidded with exhaustion, and the wrinkles on his forehead seed to have deepened over ti.
"Hello! Good find today, aye?!" Hein bellowed over the engine's humming noise.
Jack cut the ignition and pushed open the cockpit door, stepping down to greet Hein.
"Yeah! Another arcanite engine today. Mind having a look? I'm not sure if it's fully functional," Jack said, flashing a smile as he gestured toward the heavy equipnt.
Hein approached the engine, running a hand over its surface. It was largely intact, with only a few scratches along the edges — nothing that breached the main compartnt.
"A few tweaks here and there, and it'll be good as new!" Hein replied, smiling wearily.
Jack clasped a hand on Hein's shoulder. "You good? You look exhausted..." he asked, concern flickering in his expression. The bunny Wildren looked like he could collapse at any mont.
Hein didn't answer imdiately. Instead, he inhaled deeply before exhaling with determination.
"The town needs us more than ever," he said, straightening his back with pride. His tone was resolute.
Then, with a quick motion, he signalled for the work crews to transport the spare engine inside for further repairs.
Jack found himself admiring the workshop owner.
"Umm... I heard from Lupy ~ I an, Lupus..." he started, trailing behind Hein toward the workshop entrance. A low ramp led them into the spacious, rectangular structure.
Hein slowed his pace, tucking his hands behind his lower back.
"Hmm?" he murmured, not quite catching Jack's words.
"They said the Dunkelheit forces were trying to take Eastern Dam and establish their base of operations there. In favour of..."
"Taking over Porand next? Yes, I've heard." Hein's response was grim.
Jack nodded slowly.
"Everyone seems to have received the sa intel," Hein mumbled, motioning for Jack to follow him deeper into the workshop.
A human staff mber in an orange jumpsuit stepped forward, handing Hein a welding mask.
"Would you mind having a look at this, sir?" the man asked flatly, half-turning toward an Armatus arm part resting on the large shop table. Nearby, another worker — clad in a full welding suit and mask — was performing an arc weld on a massive chanical arm. Sparks flared, nearly blinding Jack, who quickly averted his gaze.
The welder paused, exchanging a nod with Hein as he inspected the weld seam.
"Hmm... Nice weld beads and perfect filling. Great job, Mason!" Hein praised, beaming. "Once it cools down, make sure you run quality control—dye penetrant testing and all," he instructed before returning the welding mask and strolling further into the workshop.
The air was thick with the sounds of clanging tal and shouted instructions. Jack scanned the hall. Over twenty workers were busy assembling various chanical components.
A few weeks ago, they had been re technicians responsible for maintaining the town's elevators and escalators. Now, they were the backbone of its defence.
"No matter how rushed we are in production, we must never cut corners. Quality is our priority," Hein declared as Jack followed closely behind. "Imagine losing your life in battle because of a defective war machine we built..." Hein shook his head at the thought.
Jack's admiration for Hein deepened.
"Umm... thanks for that. I really appreciate all your effort."
"No, we thank you for risking your life for us," Hein argued as they continued toward the far end of the workshop. Their boots scraped against the tal checker plates on the floor.
To their left, five Armatus units stood tall and imposing. Two looked pristine, their freshly painted silver surfaces still glossy and wet. The others, however, were incomplete—so unpainted, others missing crucial components like arms, legs, heads, or back thrusters.
Jack tilted his head up, taking in the sight of the war machines. Their ten-tre-tall fras were enough to intimidate most enemies — unless, of course, their opponents were other titans. Then, it'd be an entirely different ball ga.
"Wow, you've already finished two?" Jack asked for confirmation.
"Yes, that's where our priority lies. If the enemy force decides to take another shot at us, our two pilots should have their mobile suits ready to fend them off," Hein replied matter-of-factly. The shop owner was always a pragmatist in everything he did, Jack noted internally.
"I heard from the people working at the dam... when you and Rhok rescued them..." Hein whistled in amazent. "The Gold Knight is truly a killing machine."
Jack nodded to himself. "You're right... I'm just glad I'm not fighting Rhok. Only Mother Gaia knows if I'd last five minutes against him."
" too, too," Hein chuckled.
He turned to admire his own craftsmanship. "Thanks to your help and your forr knight, we had more parts to work with. That's why we managed to speed up production," he explained, his words sincere.
Hein soon led Jack toward another workshop at the far end of the facility. A connecting corridor brought them into a more spacious warehouse.
At first glance, the left-hand side was filled with shelves, boxes, and scattered parts. On the opposite side, a row of enormous lathing machines stood lined up — each capable of working on tal pieces up to five tres in size.
In the middle of the room, a group of familiar faces huddled around a large spherical tal object roughly two tres in diater. Rhok, David, Aurelia, Friederich, and a couple of Hein's crew were closely inspecting the strange item before them.
Rhok was still clad in his Armatus knight armour, having just returned from a scavenging run on his own. He was the first to notice their presence.
"Good afternoon!" he rasped. The others turned toward them, and Aurelia, the red-haired princess in her white tunic, welcod them with a sweet smile.
Jack couldn't help but notice how the White Guardian never left his princess's side. No matter where they went, they always moved as a pair — like an invisible chain bound them together.
Today, the two had been invited to stay at Hoffmann's estate as esteed guests. The invitation had co directly from the magistrate himself.
"Ah! My good n have arrived! We're just having a jab at this thing!" David exclaid, his voice brimming with excitent as he pointed at the massive tal sphere.
They exchanged a few greetings before turning their full attention to the object at the centre.
"What exactly is it?" Jack asked, examining its damaged surface. The tal shell was ashen and discoloured in the heat-affected zones, as though it had been burned by so kind of lightning.
"This is an arcanite disruptor, a broken one," Rhok replied promptly, crossing his arms. His voice carried a strained, sorrowful edge, and soon his eyes grew distant.
"What's wrong?" Jack asked, arching a brow.
The knight eventually t Jack's gaze. "It's the reason why the sentry mages of Eastern Dam couldn't fight back. And... as a result, they were defenceless. Burned to death..." Rhok's voice was bitter, heavy with the weight of past sins. His forr allies had committed such cruelty — sothing he now deeply resented.
Jack didn't know what to say. Instead, he simply offered silent consolation, squeezing Rhok's shoulder armour.
Despite his past, Rhok was now his friend — a trusted mber of Hasenwald's defence force.
After all, he couldn't betray the people of Osten. Not when he had already sworn his binding oath with his life.
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