[scene : Colt sitting in the garden surrounded by huge piles of copper, tin and iron, tinkering with the magical device]
*Luna approaches Colt*
Luna [concerned] : "What happened here?"
Colt [turns around, raises his head] : "This? It's nothing. I've been making golems and destroying them is all."
Luna : "Why?"
Colt [excited] : "Sit, sit, you'll love this."
*Luna sits next to Colt*
Colt : "First, I decided to call this a mana-electric generator."
Luna [confused] : "Mana-electric?"
Colt : "Yes, I told you the lab is currently powered by the waterfall, remember?"
Luna : "You didn't tell me how you get electricity from water but yes."
Colt : "If I replicate this thing a few times I can get enough electricity to power the lab indefinitely."
Luna : "So the reason they call it a failure is because they have no idea what it actually is."
Colt : "Right."
Luna : "But, what does all this have to do with golems?"
Colt : "I already took it apart, I learned that the formulas are written using mana infused ink, on a sheet of a strange metal."
Luna : "What metal?"
Colt : "That's the problem, no clue what it is, but I know where it could be found, it's the golem cores."
Luna [looking at the piles surrounding them] : "Is that why…"
Colt : "I've never given it much thought but apparently, no matter what source the golem is made of… the cores are the same."
Luna : "Then how come there are many different golems?"
Colt : "The source of the golem specifies the type, the core however, has been exposed to very high amounts of mana, it turned into something different."
Luna : "What's different?"
Colt : "I call it mana-conductor, just like electricity flows in copper, mana can flow freely in this metal, no other known metal could do that."
Luna : "Now I'm curious."
Colt : "Naturally, you actually have a brilliant mind, one of the very few I've seen in both worlds, to think you learned all that I taught you and you're actually using it!! That's a major feat."
Luna [blushing] : "Thank you... so what are you doing now?"
Colt : "Using "atomic sense" to get the rest of its composition."
Luna : "And?"
Colt : "The pyramids are made of iron, they serve as the poles, the bars and disk are made of bronze, mainly for protection and making recreating it more difficult."
Luna : "I see… and those engravings serve as the "switch" you called it?"
Colt : "Right, touching that little circle turns it on, touching it again turns it off."
Luna : "Do you know how much power it gives?"
Colt : "24 volts 1 ampere."
Luna : "That's good right? Isn't it too much though?"
Colt : "Electricity is used for many things besides light bulbs, those few volts they use are nothing."
Luna : "What now?"
Colt : "Next step is replicate, improve, use."
Luna : "Can I help?"
Colt : "Wouldn't have it any other way."
*A month later*
[scene : Luna is looking inside of a makeshift furnace they built outside, on the sides of the furnace some wind generators are installed]
Luna : "Colt, I think it's ready"
Colt : "Bring it, I'm done with this batch"
*Colt removes a sheet of a strange semi-transparent violet metal he was flattening, puts it on top of two others. The sheets are a few millimeters thick and 20x20 centimeters*
Usually golem cores glow bright red and when golems die the glow fades... but this strange thing changes colors when melted.
Creepy, mysterious, non-sensical little…
*Luna takes out the molten metal with heat-isolating gloves and pliers, puts it in a mold close by and they wait*
What a pain, usually rearranging atoms is enough to mold anything but this annoying metal has a mana shield surrounding every atom, if I breach it, it reverts back to its original metal.
Good thing it's malleable enough and melts at a thousand degrees C.
Luna : "This is the last batch, yes?"
Colt : "Yeah, sucks that we couldn't make it bigger."
[Flash back]
[scene : Colt and Luna standing in front of a cylinder with 15 cm radius and 7.5 cm height Colt places the sheet of mana conductor on top and draws a bigger version of the formula with black ink]
Colt : "And we're done."
Luna : "Will it work?"
Colt : "One way to find out.*activates the device*"
Luna : "Nothing's happening?"
Colt : "Let me measure it."
Turns out, it's the same output.
If it is like a circuit board and those circles and lines are components and connections, then I can't afford to replicate many formulas carelessly or the consequences can be devastating.
Best to replicate the working device for now…
[End of flash back]
Colt : "We're pretty much done powering the lab, I just like having a reserve of everything."
Luna : "All that work for reserves? Didn't you say one of these *points at the sheets* is enough for four?"
Colt : "So we have the ability to make 12 more devices... what's it hurt?"
Luna : "Probably that it's unnecessary, no one will use those."
Colt : "You're right... you're right, it's just a nasty habit."
Luna [concerned] : "Also, I'm not happy leaving Edwin alone so much. Ever since he could walk he spends all his time watching the sea."
Colt : "It's calming."
Luna : "Take this seriously, I'm really worried."
Colt : "Let me remind you that he is no ordinary child, if he needs tranquility that's what he gets, if he needs space that's what we give him, it's our job as parents."
Luna [frowning, looking down] : "But-"
Colt [touching her chin, raising her head] : "I know it's unusual, it doesn't make sense and it's confusing. But one thing is certain: you're doing a great job being a mother, he'll open up one day."
Luna : "But, I'm worried."
Colt : "I always keep track of him using "search" even now, so I know he's fine.*stands up* Now, the last sheet is ready to be made."