Scorched Iron, Chapter 1: Broken Earth and Burning Sky.

It was not far, a quarter kilometre across the scorched earth into the valley. The metallic dust danced in hot wind, along with the ash and smoke as it slowly settled to the ground, like flaming moths dancing about in the air, in a twisted waltz of pain and dismay. It had a serene beauty to it, a precious, rare beauty; something so scarce that some go their whole lives without seeing a glimmer of it. And yet when he saw it he could not help but think of death, like all things on Nocturne you instinctively approach with caution. The death waltz of the glittering debris brought a smile to his face, but inside he was afraid, and he could not know why.

>>1161436
formatting. Learn it. Love it.

At the edge of the crater he peered in. It was deep, and narrow. Must have landed on a sinkhole, or punched into a cave system. The bottom was not visible, but the slope wasn't too steep as to inhibit one from climbing down.
A large chunk of gemstone lay by his foot. He stooped to pick it up. Holding it aloft in both hands, he examined it. It seemed familiar; perhaps it was diamond, judging by the way it refracted light, although it was faintly different. He took his utility power hammer from his belt and gave it a good wack. It shattered like glass, definitely not diamond.
Useless, he thought, a waste of time. The civilian smiths needed the ore he was delivering, and he couldn’t make up for it with a chunk of fragile gemstone. The last of the burning dust had settled. It lay on the ground and the ash fell on top of it, it still shone with the burning light of the sky and the volcanic mountains that surrounded the valley, making the ground radiate the warm glow of magma.

>>1161443
Show, don't tell.

>>1161443

ok, let's deliver the minerals and came back here with rope to explore this thing, we might find something useful

>>1161443
Bring shattered glass with us and deliver that ore. Come back later to explore

>>1161442
>>1161450 I'm new to this board and slightly misunderstood its purpose, but now I understand, I shall adapt the story, many apologies.


The crater isn't going anywhere, and there would be plenty of time to excavate later on. He retraces his steps back across the broken waste to where he left the dolly. The trek up the mountain is not difficult for he has done it many times before. He reaches the walled settlement near the pinnacle.

A watchman atop a guard tower notices him and the gate opens before him. The air is filled immense mechanical noises from the great smelter. Many furnaces perpetually spew thick soot into scorched sky.

Dozens of people are constantly at work, breaking stone to expose ore, shoveling fuel for the furnaces. It is a melancholy place, every face is down turned and blackened with ash, until they see him, he bring hope back to their expressions and their pace quickens.

need a drink.