It Really Works!

AK510-40 Dark Autumn Start Week 1 [Charon Watching, Shale Watching, Cycles Guiding]

Moonday (afternoon)

After a day of theorising, experimenting and more research in the library, they rested in the arrivals area. Ivellios and Tanner had been unable to locate the Derro leader and had turned their attention to the world above. The lizardfolk had retreated from the constant harassment by the Ibixians and the Darkkeep Knights. They had left the tunnels and the caves uncontested. Instead they had razed the Dark Keep using their catapults. They had also collapsed the escape tunnel. The Ibixians were now busy hewing their way through the stone to the outside world. Ivellios and Tanner were assisting them with magic, to prevent them being crushed in a tunnel collapse.

The following day the others prepared the required spells and headed to the reactor control room once more. They each activated a control panel and readied the reactor. A foreboding sense of great power built up but nothing happened. Then Todd noticed that they hadn't placed the kellum in the reactor chamber. He made damned sure that everything was turned off before he ventured to the chamber and placed the kellum upon the appropriate pillar. He raced back up stairs and took his place at the controls.

They started again and this time remembered to open all of the elemental doors to allow the energy spheres to access the chamber. Then they raised the kellum platform to the conducting area. They each managed to activate their panels and the power levels began to build. Without any great ceremony the druid cast several elemental energy spells at the golden orb. The magic was thrown at the elemental spheres and they erupted with fire, lightning and cold. The bard added acid, negative and positive energy. With consummate skill and a little luck they both managed to balance the energy perfectly. Strikes of energy lashed out chaotically from sphere to sphere as the elements fought one another. The flux of energies would soon rip the reactor and the entire complex asunder if they were not brought under control.

Jo manipulated the spell energy within the silver tube at the top of the column. Even Jo was slightly apprehensive about this part. The spell was incredibly dangerous even when cast correctly. For that reason and because of it's resonance with the power of Feo, it was banned in several arcane orders. If the spell was miscast, the backlash of energy could remove anything it touched from reality, destroying it utterly. The reactor and control room would be destroyed and then the elemental gates would clash together. The destruction would be impressive to anyone far enough away to enjoy the view. None of them would survive. So, no pressure, thought Jo as he offered a quick prayer to Tionscail.

Ethan sang to inspire Jo as he manipulated the arcane symbols glowing in his mind. He connected them as he guessed was correct and then spoke the mystical syllables and made the contorted gestures they commanded. He felt the magic slip out from his control, he spotted his minor error and altered the altitude of his little finger by a degree. A black all consuming ball of nothingness was born in the middle of the chaotic flux of energies and the kellum was sucked up towards it. Success!

Frantically they all rushed to maintain control of the energies that we being were pulled towards the hole in the universe. Each shouted instructions to the other to help balance the forces and the kellum was raised into the centre of the maelstrom. The metal coated the sphere as it absorbed the energies. It was superheated and began to burn. Molten adamantite dripped to the floor far below. The power being produced was tremendous. The weight of it sat heavy on their chests as they struggled to keep the reactor's energy balanced. Their eyes began to glow slightly and the applewood staff tingled in Appleby's hand. In the midst of the thickened air, his bones tingling with the vigorous might of the elements, Bob looked calm and vaguely disinterested. He noted with amusement the panic and serious demeanour of his companions and lamented how much he missed hunting.

"Wake up Charmer!" shouted Ethan who was trying to get him to recalibrate the fire of acid ratio at the positive nexus. Bob guessed and hit a few symbols that seemed right, on the panel he was staring at. Ethan relaxed a tiny bit and smiled. Bob gave a thumbs up to give the impression that he knew what the hell was going on. Stupid reactor he thought.

The energy levels swelled to an alarming crescendo. Ethan was ready. Using the panel labelled 'Arcane Relay Primus Beo' he channelled the energy from the reactor to the collector and up through the kellum alloy conduits to the storage area. The burst of energy dazzled them all and then was gone. The deep rumbling as it reverberated it's way up though the conduits was all that was left in the darkness as the reactor powered off.

Thanks be to Tionscail.