The days continued to move forward. Plans were being set in motion, one by one. I rarely had a day off in the last week; being busy was an understatement. But a rather interesting development had occurred, requiring my attention.
"I'm rather surprised there's been a breakthrough this quickly. Are you certain about its authenticity?" I asked Bowen.
"The task of examining the makeup of the powder was given to a small number of departments and their leaders as an open challenge. It was a simple method to get fresh eyes on the project. Squeaks agreed, so we released a small amount of it along with little information. Hopes were low, but we were pleasantly surprised. I can vouch for the young man who made the discovery," Bowen said with a pleased smile.
I couldn't help but be surprised. The powder had stumped Squeaks, a once-in-a-generation Forgemaster, for weeks, yet some from an entirely different focus found a promising lead. I suppose with the sheer amount of work Squeaks was going through, it made sense for him to neglect one aspect, but even Padraic had yet to come up with a meaningful answer.
The two of us walked through buzzing Forward University. The upper class was in its final few weeks before graduation. The excitement naturally spread throughout the entire university, even if many wouldn't have a meaningful break until winter.
As if reading my mind, Bowen asked, "Are you prepared for your graduation?"
I chuckled and shrugged. "You act as if I will be playing a significant part. JD narrowed my participation down to 'looking pretty' for the crowd. I was expecting a long-winded speech, but this suits me far better," I answered.
Bowen let out a low laugh. "Changes can be arranged if you so desire?" he asked with a grin.
"I'll have to pass. I haven't exactly fully earned such an honor. And I already have to take part in the royal ceremony at the end of the month," I said.
"Busy man," Bowen muttered as he pointed to the door. "Regardless, shall we see what Mr. Capito has in store? He is a graduate and a research assistant to a professor here. A bright young man."
I nodded, and Bowen opened the large door. The room was filled with various equipment, glass bottles, books, scrolls, and other miscellaneous things strewn over dozens of tables. Dull rocks piled onto shelves, shimmering gems sat suspended in unknown liquids, and even fine powders lay in neat piles.
However, the room was deathly silent, save for the single set of quick footsteps rushing toward us. A young cat Beastmen rounded the tables as his smile widened. He bobbed down into a polite bow, his long brown hair following him.
"Headmaster, Lord Shadowheart, it's an honor. Thank you for coming so quickly," he said.
"Mr. Capito, your findings have great promise for our research. Please, show us what you've found," Bowen said with a wave of his hand.
"Of course! Please, allow me," he said excitedly.
Mr. Capito led us further into the lab to a set of double doors at the back. The thick wooden doors were reinforced with metal as he inserted a key into the lock and turned it.
"This powder was truly unique. I ran through many of our standardized testing methods but came up woefully short on nearly all of them. Truly, this had me stumped for days," he explained.
"But according to your report, you are ninety percent confident in your findings?" Bowen questioned.
Capito nodded and answered, "Yes, Sir. With the limited knowledge given on the powder's purpose, I can't be certain exactly, but I am confident that I have discovered its primary makeup."
The adjacent room was far smaller than the large lab, its space lit by only a few torches and candles. A large window was covered by a metallic plate that looked intricately placed, its purpose not entirely clear.
It was clear it was meant for the professor's personal use and for a small number of trusted students. The resources available, though many, were of much higher quality. Most of them I did not recognize, but the small lump of raw Mythril placed into a secure cabinet along with the various instruments was enough to confirm my thoughts.
Capito motioned for us to follow him to the first desk as he launched into a recount of his findings, "This is where I attempted to discern its reaction to acids. Many stones and ores have a particular response to various acids, whether natural or man-made. However, in this case, it did not."
His tail swished to the side as he moved to another table. He grabbed an odd-looking stone and held up a raw ore in the other. "This is another test, one that has to do with this stone's peculiar ability to attract metals. This is a very pure specimen of iron. Now watch."
Once Capito brought the stone to the iron chunk, the chunk was pulled toward the stone by an invisible force—a familiar one at that.
Magnitism, huh? Is this stone a chunk of this world's equivalent of lodestone?
Capito frowned as he separated the ore from the lodestone and moved it to a small cloth bag no bigger than a thumb. He waved the lodestone-like material over it, but the bag did not budge.
"From my findings, I am nearly certain that this powder does not have any metal in its formula. Of course, it could be something so unique that we have yet to discover it, but…the powder did respond in another way," Capito explained.
"That stone, what is it? And where did you find it?" I asked, pointing to the magnet.
Capito raised the lodestone with a wry smile. "I'm afraid this stone does not have a proper name, Sir. It's an old discovery from the age of the empire, but we haven't found another of its kind. The records are sparse; it could be from Tel'an'duth, but that's all we know, I'm afraid," he said.
Bowen raised an eyebrow at me, and I shrugged. "Capito, a friendly offer, if you will. If you discover more of this stone and where it lies…let us say this stone will bear your name and be remembered forever. If you are interested, of course," I said cryptically.
Capito's eyes widened as Bowen asked me, "You know of this stone and its properties?"
"I know more than others, but…I can't be sure about it unless you have more. If you make a discovery, I'll be sure to lend a hand," I said.
Capito's smile faded as he meekly asked, "Is this time frame in Elf years, Sir…or?"
I chuckled and said, "Depends on you, Capito."
The Beastmen licked his lips after a moment and gently placed the stone back onto the table, grabbing the sack. "Then…I shall investigate the matter further. However, that is for another time. Please, let me show you where my confidence lies," he said.
Capito went over to the wall with the metallic plates and uncovered the various instruments, throwing off their protective blankets, revealing them. Various glass instruments, suspended by light copper arms, hung at different levels. At the center, elevated from the floor, a circular glass piece was held in place. Every piece of glass was remarkably clear, and of the highest quality.
This…this has something to do with light? Is this an early form of Optics?
Capito opened the small cloth bag, letting the shimmering powder spread onto the glass surface. After a few checks, he nodded to himself confidently and went over to a crank.
"Headmaster, if you would be so kind as to take out the lights?" Capito requested.
Bowen, with an amused grin, formed a spell core as a gentle breeze kicked up in the room, knocking out all the sources of light. In the darkness, only the sound of Capito's grunts of work and the grinding of gears and shifting metal could be heard. After a few breaths of time, there was a change.
A beam of light jumped into the room through the various glass lenses. The light bounced and refracted between them, and in the blink of an eye, the beam reached its final destination. It hit the powder on the final glass piece and erupted into a kaleidoscope of colors. Beams of greens, blues, and reds lit up the dark room, a truly magical experience.
"The powder is not a rock, mineral, or animal product but a crystal…" I muttered.
Capito had a broad smile as he exclaimed, "Yes! That's exactly correct, Sir! This test clearly shows that the powder, regardless of how fine it is, is indeed similar to that of a gem or crystal! Not only that, but it also confirms the gems are all different in color!"
Bowen pinched the ends of his mustache as the understanding hit him. "And its purpose…could it be that this powder is made up of dungeon core shards?" he muttered.
Capito nodded enthusiastically as he said, "Yes, Headmaster, I believe that to be the case! I am almost sure the powder is primarily made up of finely ground dungeon core shards with some kind of other component. The exacts are as mysterious as how someone managed to get ahold of so many shards and grind them to such a fine powder, but it is a step!"
"Does the powder react to mana?" I asked.
"Yes, Sir, it does. Rather…violently at that. I am pleased to say I tested it safely and in small amounts. But the powder acted as a fuel source; it greatly increased the power and volume of my spell even after I released the core!" he said excitedly.
I watched the light show. It felt as if at least one secret had been partially answered. But the question was, did the Ancient Dwarves have access to this technology and that many dungeon core shards before their fall, or only after they became undead? The former seemed both more promising and concerning. How did an ancient race with an immense technological advantage over others fall so completely that their entire history had been wiped clean from the world, with barely a trace, reduced to mindless undead slaves at the bottom of a dungeon?
An inside job only explained one case; the undead that summoned and worked for Amon-Ra couldn't have been the only factor. Famine, disease, a possibility for sure. These Dwarves had to have been at other locations before their fall. Yet, nothing remained of them in modern times. No ruins, no mark of their past.
Did the Dragons wipe them out? Was their technology too much of a threat? But that would have been before they decided to be guardians of the world. Could this have been their first move, and it only became somewhat known after Talgan?
"So… do you two agree with my findings?" Capito asked nervously.
"I see no reason to say that you are wrong. Rather, the evidence is clear. Your logs confirm your tests. This is nothing short of a success, Capito," Bowen praised.
"I'm of the same mind. But Capito, you said you were sure something else was in the mix? How long will it take you to deduce the other materials?" I asked.
Capito's smile waned as he answered, "Without the full breadth of the powders used, it would prove difficult. Just knowing where the powder originated from and its intended use would greatly narrow my search. But such information was not given."
Bowen and I exchanged glances, and he nodded. "You'll have to sign some agreements for that information. Are you interested in pursuing this further? The risk…may be more than you anticipated. The costs could be more than you bargained for," I warned.
His brown eyes lit up as Capito nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, Sir. Regardless of the dangers, I would very much like to continue," he answered firmly.
"Then we'll take you up on that offer. Just don't regret it too much, Mr. Capito," Bowen said with a chuckle. "I'll handle the introductions to Squeaks and the necessary paperwork for the clearance. I imagine Master Squeaks is…occupied right now."
"Oh, I'm sure he is. I was going to go check on him right now."
—
I entered the private forge to the sound of cursing and scribbling of pen to scroll. Squeaks looked up briefly from his work behind the desk. His bloodshot eyes locked onto me intensely. The stress and overwork he had put on himself was evident. The Dwarf appeared to have significantly aged, and if he had hair, it would have been greying. Only the deep bags under his eyes gave it away.
His glance only lasted for a few breaths before he went back to his work. But Padraic's insults were still bellowing in the forge.
"Damn you! Why can't you just work?! Why must you be so difficult?! Drill correctly when I tell you!" he screamed.
I cleared my throat, and Padraic's dark eyes flicked to me. He sat on a stool with what looked to be the workings of a metal barrel in one hand and a handmade drill bit in the other. The latter had become stuck in the former and, despite Padraic's efforts, would not free itself.
"You! Why didn't you tell me how hard this would be!" he shouted.
"I'm pretty certain I did say this would change the world. Did you really think changing the world was as easy as breathing?" I asked in amusement.
Padraic grit his teeth as he brought the barrel up to his eyes and tossed it to the floor with a clang. "Damn this thing! Nothing short of perfection works! Even the slightest deviation changes everything! If the barrel breaks then I have to start over! And the gods forbid if I break this damn drill again! Making it exactly the same twice?! It's a damn struggle in the impossible!" he complained.
"So I take it things aren't going quite well?" I said.
The struggles of machining are quite tricky. By the time I existed, machines handled everything, their perfection down to the smallest measurement, creating things in the billions across hundreds of worlds. The working of a single novice was bound to end in failure.
"Well? Who do you take me for? I made a prototype barrel already! It's just making certain it can be done again and consistently is what I'm doing! I even had to make the tools the same way! That is one of many annoyances," he griped.
Oh…
Padraic gave me a smug look as he swung around on his stool. His hands grabbed another barrel, that one lacking a stuck drill bit, and waved it at me.
"I need a break from this madness! Come, let's test it! That Sylas brought over a small amount of that powder for testing already!"