[h3][color=moccasin]Ethra[/color] and [color=#6F5689]Viik[/color][/h3]
[hr]
“...and what exactly do you feed it?”

“Cows. Many, many, [i]many[/i] cows. Foreman Loyce has deals made with multitude of cattle farmers, ship dozens of cows to Forgemire weekly. Never hold them for more than a week. Corral a seventh of them daily, lower them on platform, and send them out into feeding tunnel. They are eventually grabbed by floor and absorbed into factory. Forgemire devours them, digests them, and diverts stomach contents into several expulsory areas. One such area is large section of black, petrified growths stuck in western wall - like tonsil stones, yes? Do you know what those are?”

“Yes.”

“Well, those stones are very, [i]very[/i] large, and are thus removed by team of no less than two dozen Engineers once every month. They are then taken to specialized work area for crushing, separation, sorting, compacting, you know, until finally, you get [i]this[/i].”

Viik held up a small piece of the slate rock he had brought with him to the University. “High quality, very durable, very easy to enchant. Engineers use them for all magic-involved apparatuses, including replacement limbs such as Viik’s.”

“Then the Living Factory employs quite a few enchanters?” Ethra replied.

“Eh. Not as many as you would think. Most of them use rune arts, which Viik does too. Very few use more, ehhh… [i]intricate[/i] means. It is beyond Viik how those work, however. He intends to learn one day though.”

“I wish you luck in your pursuits then, Viik.” Ethra said, placing her newly borrowed copy of [i]The Engineers' Doctrine[/i] in her satchel.

“Most kind of you to say, Ethra. Viik wishes you good learning as well. Being on your way, then?”

“If that does not offend.”

“Of course it doesn’t!” Viik replied, holding out his arms. The two walked towards the exit to Viik’s dorm as he continued to say, “Please stop by anytime you are having questions about Forgemire. Viik does not sleep, he will be happy to oblige anytime.”

“You don’t… nevermind, another time. Goodbye and, thank you again for the book.” Ethra said, standing outside the doorway. Viik waved his hand in a gesture of farewell and said, “Of course, of course! Viik will go to work now, take care!”

And the door was shut. Ethra turned and made her way back towards her own room, intent on immediately getting into all [i]six[/i] of her books while the week was still young.