Kaelor's head wasn't flesh at all. It was built from overlapping metal segments, layered like armor plates. Each piece was fitted together so tightly they looked seamless at a glance. Up close, the joins showed faint lines, giving it a manufactured, mask-like look.
His head snapped to the side from the impact. For a split second, the crushing gravity nearly dragged him down with it. He forced himself upright again, his boots grinding into the soil as his body resisted the pull.
He lifted a hand to his head, searching for the point of impact. His metal fingers pressed in, then slid across the plates until they found it. A shallow dent sat there, small but unmistakable.
His gaze dropped to the ground to see what had struck him. Near his foot lay a gold-colored casing, still hot. A thin curl of smoke rose from it while the metal glinted in the light.
