The storm had become normal.
The villagers had stopped asking why it rained every afternoon and just started preparing for it. That's what humans did—turned miracles into habits, disasters into routine. Tarps were reinforced. Gutters carved. Fire pits sealed.
No one questioned the weather anymore.
Toren sat beneath the edge of the new solar canopy, legs crossed, watching the updated system grid map float before him. Raindrops tapped rhythmically on the translucent panels overhead, traced by flickers of sun as the cloud cover shifted.
The first power cells were running smoothly. Lighting, heaters, and a rudimentary data terminal now functioned in three key locations. The food yield had doubled since the rain began.
Kingdom Resource Overview:—Population: 22 (stable)—Energy Output: +36U/day—Morale: Cautiously optimistic—Security Rating: Low
Toren frowned at that last one.
"Too exposed," he murmured. "One breach and we're—"
Ping. ALERT: Environmental threat detected.—Category: Faunal Class 4—Proximity: 1.3 km—Trajectory: Direct—ETA: 42 minutes
He shot to his feet.
"Kora."
"Query."
"Threat assessment?"
"Impact likely catastrophic without intervention. Recommend immediate deployment of available defense schematics."
A new icon bloomed beside the map: TURRET: AUTO-PROJECTILE (Primitive Tier). The schematic shimmered with lines and parts—rotating base, swivel mount, low-yield kinetic rounds. Simple. Ugly. Brutal.
But buildable.
"Materials?"
"Sufficient if you repurpose windmill gear shafts and Mira's loader housing."
Toren was already running.