The Wildflower's landing ramp descended with a low hiss, and Sela, Lee, and Hanjoon stepped cautiously into the hushed, cavernous remains of the Forge. The air was cold, almost biting, carrying the metallic tang of long-abandoned machinery and faint traces of something more ancient.

The walls, once shimmering with intricate patterns like dragon scales, were dark and lifeless. Fractures crisscrossed the smooth metal, and the faint residue of power clung stubbornly to the edges, like the last embers of a dying fire. The Forge felt like a body without a soul.

“What the hell happened here?” Lee murmured, his hand resting on the butt of his holstered blaster. His voice echoed faintly in the emptiness, swallowed quickly by the oppressive stillness.

Sela crouched near a broken panel, running her fingers over the shattered fragments of what had once been a glowing rune. Her sharp eyes traced the remnants of the ancient sigils, but their meaning eluded her.

“This place was alive once,” she said, almost to herself. “But now…” She straightened, brushing dust from her hands. “Now it’s just a graveyard.”

Hanjoon walked ahead, his steps deliberate. His golden eyes scanned the chamber, his senses probing for something—anything—that might explain what they were seeing. The hair on the back of his neck prickled as if he were standing on the edge of a great abyss.

“This wasn’t natural,” he said quietly, kneeling by the shattered central node. His hand brushed a jagged shard, and he froze, his dragon instincts stirring faintly at the touch. “Something drained this place. Whatever power was here is gone now.”

Lee frowned, his dark eyes narrowing as he glanced around. “Drained? By what? Or *who*?” His voice had an edge, suspicion coloring his tone. “This doesn’t look like it just broke down one day. Someone did this.”

Sela’s gaze flicked toward him, her brow furrowing. “You think someone’s been here?”

Lee gestured at the destruction. “Does this look natural to you? This was *done*. And I’d bet whoever it was didn’t just stumble in here by accident.”

Hanjoon stood, his jaw tightening as he turned to face them. “If someone came here, we’d have seen signs—ships, footprints, energy signatures.” His voice was steady, but there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. “There’s no trace of anyone.”

“That we’ve found so far,” Lee shot back. “But this… this wasn’t some natural decay. It feels deliberate.”

Sela stepped forward, her gaze sharp as she glanced between the two men. “If someone came here, why? What could they take from a place like this?”

Hanjoon’s golden eyes flicked toward the broken node, then back to his crewmates. “Not what. Power. Knowledge. The kind of things that leave a mark when they’re stolen.”

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Lee crossed his arms, glancing around the desolate chamber again. “If that’s true, whoever did this either didn’t care about the damage they left behind—or they knew no one else would come looking.”

Sela’s expression hardened. “Well, we’re here now. Let’s document what we can and figure out what happened. We owe it to the Wildflower—and to ourselves—to know the truth.”

The three spread out, combing through the chamber. Hanjoon lingered near the central node, his fingers brushing its fractured surface. There was something faint there—a warmth, almost imperceptible. It felt like the echo of a roar, a whisper of life long extinguished.

Sela’s voice cut through the quiet. “There’s nothing here. No logs, no residual energy we can track. Just… emptiness.”

Lee nodded grimly. “If someone took whatever was here, they covered their tracks well.”

Hanjoon straightened, his gaze lingering on the broken node. “Or they left something behind.”

The other two turned to him, confusion flickering across their faces, but Hanjoon didn’t elaborate. He turned toward the exit, his expression unreadable.

“Let’s spread out,” Hanjoon said, his voice steady. “This is a Forge, after all. Let’s see what we can find.”

Sela and Lee exchanged a glance, but neither objected. The sheer size of the chamber, combined with its eerie silence, made splitting up seem logical.

“I’ll check the west side,” Sela said, already moving toward a series of alcoves carved into the wall.

“I’ll take the east,” Lee added, his hand drifting toward his blaster as he headed toward a set of dormant consoles.

Hanjoon nodded and turned toward the broken central node. Something about it pulled at him, like a faint thread tugging at his consciousness. As he knelt beside the shattered remains, he let his hand rest on its surface, the cool metal jagged beneath his fingertips.

The others’ footsteps echoed faintly in the distance, their voices muffled as they called out observations. Hanjoon tuned them out, focusing on the strange warmth emanating from the node. It felt like the ghost of something powerful—something unwilling to let go entirely.

His brow furrowed as he traced the fractures with his fingers. The damage was extensive but precise, almost surgical in its execution. Whoever had drained this place hadn’t been reckless. They had been meticulous. Purposeful.

“Anything?” Lee’s voice called out, breaking Hanjoon’s concentration.

“Not yet,” Hanjoon replied, his voice echoing through the chamber.

Sela appeared out of one of the alcoves, her expression frustrated. “Nothing but dust and dead tech over here. If this place had anything left, it’s been stripped clean.”

Lee rejoined them, shaking his head. “Same on my end. Whoever was here didn’t leave us much to work with.”

Hanjoon rose, brushing his hands off. His golden eyes lingered on the broken node for a moment longer before turning back to his crewmates.

“We’re missing something,” he said quietly. “There’s a reason this place feels… different.”

Sela arched a brow. “Different how?”

Hanjoon hesitated, the words hovering on the tip of his tongue. Finally, he shook his head. “I don’t know yet. Let’s keep looking.”

Lee frowned but nodded, stepping away to inspect another section of the chamber.

Hanjoon remained by the node, his unease growing. Something had happened here—something monumental. And the absence of answers only deepened the mystery.