The grand armouries of the Emerald Kingdom were usually vast, quiet halls filled with pristine rows of traditional steel swords, heavy iron shields, and beautifully polished suits of royal armour. This afternoon, however, the primary testing courtyard located just outside the armoury doors had been completely transformed into a highly active, chaotic engineering laboratory. Sparks flew brightly into the air, the loud ringing of hammers striking hot metal echoed continuously, and the sharp, clean scent of ozone hung heavily over the cobblestones.
Fox stood at the very centre of the courtyard, wiping a thick smear of black engine grease from his forehead using a remarkably dirty rag. He looked completely exhausted, having not slept a single wink for the past forty-eight hours, but his eyes shone with a brilliant, entirely uncontainable excitement.
