The repeater frame sat on Evan’s bench glowing faintly with the thin blue shimmer of raw mana. Every craftsman in the workshop watched it like it was a sacred relic. The chamber ring rested inside the frame held by small carved braces that fit so perfectly they almost looked grown rather than shaped. Even the air felt heavier as if the device knew it was the beginning of something big.

Taron stood closest his hands shaking slightly as he held a tray of tiny carved metal pins. “Master Marshall if this works we may never need full size lances again.”

Evan nodded while tightening a coil plate into position. “If it works. Remember miniaturizing is not forgiving. Every channel has to be aligned. If one chamber blocks the flow even a little the weapon will jam or worse.”

Rhel stepped into the workshop with two soldiers following him. “We are ready for a field test when you are.”

Evan raised a brow. “You want to test this now It is not even polished yet.”

Rhel crossed his arms. “Our rivals are still on the ridge. Scouts say they placed camp markers. That means they might return tomorrow or the day after. If this repeater works we could break any formation before they get close. We need every advantage.”

Evan understood. War did not wait for perfection. It barely waited for safety.

“All right. Give me thirty more minutes. Then we test it.”

He leaned close to the prototype shifting his focus to full precision mode. His hands steadied. His breath slowed. The background noise faded from his mind. He inserted the chamber pins one by one letting them rest at exact angles. He locked the ring. He smoothed the mana channel lines.

Taron whispered under his breath as if witnessing a silent ritual. “I swear you move like you can feel the energy inside the metal.”

Evan smiled slightly. “That is what building models teaches you. You pay attention to what you cannot see.”

He slid the final piece in place. The frame hummed softly. Mana flowed through the chambers one after the other in a loop like water moving down steps.

The workshop exhaled as a unit.

Rhel stepped closer. “Is it ready”

Evan nodded. “Ready enough.”

They carried the repeater outside into the training yard. Soldiers lined the walls. Even the mages came down from the tower wanting to see this new device that promised to change war. Rhel placed a hardened beast dummy at the far end of the field.

Taron held his breath. “Master Marshall may I fire it”

Evan placed a hand on the young man’s shoulder. “Not the first shot. If something goes wrong I want it to be me.”

He lifted the repeater. It was heavier than the compact unit but still far lighter than any full lance. He aimed down the simple sight line and aligned the first chamber.

“Here goes nothing.”

He squeezed the trigger.
A sharp beam shot forward piercing the dummy’s shoulder plate.

Gasps echoed around the yard.

Before anyone could react Evan twisted his wrist slightly allowing the chamber ring to rotate into place. Mana locked into the second chamber with a soft click.

He fired again.
Another beam struck the dummy’s chest.

The soldiers erupted in disbelief. Two clean shots in the time their old weapons charged half a single beam.

Evan rotated again.
Third chamber.
Third clean hit.

Rhel stepped forward unable to contain a grin. “Marshall you just built a weapon that fires like magic does not even need to breathe.”

Evan lowered the repeater as the chamber ring cooled. “Still needs refinement. Heat builds fast. But it works.”

Taron nearly jumped with excitement. “It does not just work. It sings.”

The craftsmen swarmed him with questions.
“How did you stabilize the ring”
“How do the channels not melt”
“What keeps the mana from leaking between chambers”
“Can we make ten more by tomorrow”

Evan held both hands up. “Calm down. One step at a time. We need cleaner channels and stronger plates before we try mass production. But yes this weapon will become standard if we build it right.”

Rhel stepped aside and motioned Evan over. His expression had shifted to something serious. “Marshall we need to talk.”

Evan followed him toward the tower stairs. “What happened”

“The rival patrol. They left one scout behind. He was caught near the lower forest watching our wall. He saw your compact weapons. Maybe even saw the repeater test.”

Evan clenched his jaw. “That means word will spread.”

Rhel nodded. “And fast. If they return with a larger force we might face siege gear or heavy mages. We need every weapon you can build. But more importantly we need to prepare for the political consequences.”

Evan stared out over the forest. His weapon designs were supposed to protect Ironhold. But now they were attracting danger. The kind of danger kingdoms feared.

He turned back to Rhel. “Then we refine the repeater tonight. And tomorrow we build more.”

Rhel nodded. “Ironhold depends on it.”

Evan breathed deep letting determination settle into his bones.

The world was changing.
And he was the one rewriting its foundation.

One chamber at a time.