Alright Tim, time for you to have a little snack and go play with this nice ball of rock stuff I got from the aluminum refining. Sighing in frustration was the only thing I could do to display my dismay over not being able to verbally reassure him that he was a good boy. No matter, I'm sure he knows in his buggy little mind that I care for him since I do keep feeding him and doing things that make him happy. Stealing one last glance at the strange little creature and his odd game of hunting the waste orb, I set my sight back to the worktable and the magic stones I'd brought with me.

On the left was one that I recognized and had experimented with before, as well as knew the source of. On the right was a magic stone that I'd carelessly swiped from Bahruk's storeroom without asking, but at breakfast he mentioned that Tuleni had acquired it and wanted me to have it. Where would Tuleni get ahold of a mana stone, or I suppose it would be better to ask what creature had met its end and had its stone harvested by her talons. Worse, maybe this was the victim of Walter the monster tree that Tuleni cared for. The mental image of hostile vines crushing a poor little animal was a chilling thought.

The stone was no larger than a ping pong ball and looked like a tiny globe of a green and blue world. The surface was noticeably wet and smelled of something corrosive, but upon setting the stone down I found my hand to be completely dry and still covered in chalk. It took some effort, but I resisted the temptation to lick the stone for a taste test. Despite being as large as one of the smallest weights on the scale, the stone was much lighter than even half of a single lead unit. Holding the stone up to the light revealed that there were no cracks or flaws, and that the stone was incredibly well marbled with the two colors.

Well now that I know that it's safe and that magic did flow through it normally, I suppose it was time for me to figure out what these two stones could do. I had already discerned that the yellow cone could hold a large quantity of mana, but getting it to do anything was still not an option. Was there some incantation that was necessary like that old gray bastard did with Charles’ stone? I hope not, that would really piss me off and ruin my day. Maybe I can put some mana inside and keep it flowing to map out the organic shape the mana flows through.

I knew that my sensors would be able to see the shape much better than my eyes, and that my collectors could possibly keep the mana in the stone, but how would I keep it moving? It certainly seemed to like flowing whenever it was held, so maybe holding it with some kind of mana blocker would work. If I take a limiter rune and twist the Input and output to face the same direction, then adjust it to have a variable function hooked up to a sensor that would try to mimic an equilibrium rune geared for mana capacity, maybe I can just feed the mana flowing out of the stone back into itself in a loop. That ought to work, but in case the makeshift array doesn't hold there will be a backup intake limiter behind it to catch any surges.

The test began with me filling the stone with 100 mana before hoisting the rock up, my inverted rune flexing and dilating as the proper rate of flow was accounted for until exactly how much was being released was sent back to the rune. Now that the mana was moving, I could clearly see some kind of magical lattice inside of the gem that kept the magic from flowing through the center most area, in which I could see and scan a yellow mass of magical energy that looked similar to Charles. Unlike my crimson droplet, this one was completely unresponsive to the rising storm around it and was not moving to do much of anything other than to maintain its rotation.

There inside of it was something I'd expected to find: an organic rune. A teardrop of splintered lines and layers of what looked like filters pointing towards two shapes in the center. The front one looked quite similar to the ignition rune from Yabtin's gun, but the one just behind it was something I was unfamiliar with. The shape was like a bunch of grapes with each circular shape having a corresponding filter feeding into it, then all joining a thick stem towards a nozzle shaped set of inward facing lines. Was this rune designed to mix the filtered elements together before pushing them forwards? The queen creature this had come from was spewing sulfuric napalm at the guards and my fireproof mother, so perhaps that was what this rune was able to do.

My understanding of the inner mechanism seemed to awaken the dormant entity within, from which came an intense feeling of malice and hatred. Is it trying to say something to me? Charles, is there any way we can communicate with this?

“Not presently possible. A rough translation is possible. Mana stone entity desires to inflict flame based harm upon kobolds with green scales, particularly the one that it believes to have been its killer.”

Oh joy, I make a breakthrough and get a homicidal revenge bent ghost instead of cool magic. I'll just make a sketch of your inner workings and play with them on my own time, for now you're going in the lockbox until you calm down. The mind inside of the stone thrashed angrily at being placed down, but once the mana inside condensed and became invisible the yellow dot also went dormant. I felt bad for it, but what was I supposed to do with a crazy monster queen dead set on getting a round 2 with the jade terror? Still, this was quite the insight into mana stones that I would keep in mind going forward.

Okay, let's see what's up with the green and blue orb. I did the same procedure of feeding in 100 mana and holding the charge at a stable level, but unlike with the cone there was already an active green blob inside waiting to greet me. This thing was much more calm than the previous one, and the emotion it imparted was one of slight happiness and relief. Translator, can you help me out?

“Mana stone entity is offering its greetings. It wishes to aid you, as it was made for. It wishes to offer a thanks from another being named Wilter.”

Grandma's giant monster plant? I'm going to have to ask her about the circumstances of this development, and hope that this doesn't mean that her prized garden is dead. Questions like that can wait until after work, for now I need to get to the bottom of what this stone can do. Let's take a peek under the hood of this little Rock.

Holy moly, that is one monster of a rune! Within this seemingly small stone was an amazingly complex rune system that seemed to flow into itself and through its own lines like a tangled mess of magical vines. There was no discerning any particular parts or function with either my eyes or sensors, as even the magical cameras were only able to get surface layer scans. No matter the angle it was observed from there was just no telling where any inlet out outlet side was

“Entity requests to be deposited within a vessel containing both water and oil, as well as to be given nine times as much additional mana.”

That is a strange request, but maybe this thing knows what its own specialty is. One bucket of water and oil, 900 mana, and a place inside the cage for observation. I dropped the blue and green stone into the two liquids, but due to the incredible lightness of the stone it remained floating. Right, mana has no weight when it's moving, so maybe I'm going to need to push it down. I almost touched the stone when it finally slipped beneath the surface of the water and slowly lowered itself into the oil.

Tendrils of mana shot from the stone and began to twirl in the bucket, almost as though it were growing roots within the container with which to collect the liquids. Once all of the mana had settled into a tightly knit pattern of intersecting lines across the entire volume of the vessel there came a soft glow from the orb itself. Bubbles began to rise from the water as both liquids were drawn into the strange spell that was working its way through the materials given. I probably shouldn't be breathing this stuff in since it's making me lightheaded. I didn't have to worry about what gas was being expelled for long, as the stone had lost its glow and retracted its net of lines before floating back to the surface.

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All of the oil had vanished leaving only a bucket of pure clear liquid that was most definitely not water. I plucked the stone and shook it off, which caused me to catch a whiff of the burning smell coming from it. Whew, that smells just like pure alcohol. Wait a second, is that what just happened? Splashing a little on the ground and hitting it with the ignition rune caused a blue flame to flash into existence, burning out quickly as the fuel was spent.

A feeling of pride was radiating from the orb, and I wondered just how to respond to that. How about instead of the timeout box, you get to sit in a nice polishing rag on the table while I make some notes. Two magic stones, one capable of synthesizing napalm and the other capable of performing alcohol based alchemy. Was I perhaps rethinking the viability of a flamethrower? Perhaps, but that would be an outside only thing, down here I was going to avoid any of that.

Still, a source of pure ethyl alcohol had huge medical and mechanical uses. Was this perhaps why Tuleni had given it to me? She definitely knew what ethanol was useful for, given that she had jars of it with surgical tools inside, but I didn't consider that she was having her tree monster make it with alchemy magic. Clever grandma keeping little tricks right under my nose, I'll show you just what this stuff is capable of. It's starting to smell kinda fruity in here, probably because of the mana stone's potential plant origin, so it was probably a good idea to get a jar.

A quick jog over to the container shelf and back gave me another idea. With this stone I was able to source large quantities of ethanol, and if I remembered correctly there were some ways of using different fuel mixtures to cycle pistons. That meant that I could finally start working on something that was in my comfort zone: engines! No more of this steam pumps and valves nonsense, but right and true rumbling blocks of gas pumping, flame spewing, wheel turning power! Excitement was coursing through my veins and rattling my bones just from thinking about it.

If I'm going to start daydreaming about engines, it might be time for me to pester Vynrashu about his supposed contacts for material procurement were. He did say he could put me in touch with them, but he was probably sidetracked by the circus of scales that was dancing around my lab. I grabbed my stuff and left my lab, making sure to lock the door behind me once Tim bumbled over to me. Oh goodie, one of the nearby lifts was about to go up and had just enough room for me. None of the workers already onboard seemed to mind my presence, though one of them did stoop down to scratch at Tim’s shell.

This lift didn’t go all the way up, so I did have to switch over to a different one that was moving from the middle floor up to the top. On the way over I got to see first hand what the middle floor was like when it was in full tilt: pounding hammers and hissing steam machines twisting and folding metal plates to assemble a more streamlined assembly line of minecarts, tunnel support beams, and air ducting. The angry whirring of some of my power drills brought a slight smile to my lips as I nearly skipped along to my destination. This lift just so happened to be near the elevator manufacturing area as well, so I got to wave to Bahruk as he ran a steam engine to test a massive winch. Man, I just loved factory life.

The short lift ride to the third floor was like stepping from a bright sunny summer day into a gloomy winter night. The faces here were cold and harsh and the stares I got were stained with judgment and barely restrained malice. Everything was so hostile and isolated it felt like a battleground during a stalemate. I spied the obvious manager’s office where I would find the boss man Vynrashu and hurried over before anyone could say anything. Damn it all he’s currently talking to some tan guy already, so I guess I should just wait here out of sight for this cranky guy to leave.

I wasn’t intentionally eavesdropping, but their conversation just so happened to reach my ears.

“-already, there’s no reason to make a big deal of this. Just put in a formal complaint like everyone else does and I’ll handle it.”

“No Vynrashu, this isn’t an issue you can just sweep under the rug and pass off as not a big-big problem. Your father’s been sending us the same budget since I was a rookie, so how is it that we’re getting stiffed on the big-big budget? Don’t tell me it’s because of those lower floor yappies.”

“Hey now, there’s no reason to get mad Truapar. I’ve told you multiple times already, those ground floor folks have been doing the bulk work for you guys and getting that great machine built at double speed. I have to pay them more or they’ll starve.”

“And your little blue pet-pet has nothing to do with the sudden budget differences?”

“No. If you don’t believe me you can ask her yourself.”

Oh hi there. The older, angrier looking kobold craned his avian-esque face to look at me, his sandy eyebrows furrowing over those beady indigo eyes. I nervously waved at the two, which had the effect of making my boss smirk while the other guy frowned.

“Since she’s here already, I suppose I can. Tell me you blue blister, how many times has this parasite given you money that wasn’t yours?”

I cocked an eye at Vynrashu, who seemed to be awaiting my reply with a held breath. Don’t worry boss, I can smell a crook a mile off, and this guy has all the makings of one. Guys like this piss me off to no end, and I’m not going to mince my words even if it bites me in the ass later. I hope for your sake you can read pal, because this will be embarrassing if you can’t.

“I prefer to be called by Kayrux, but if you insist on nicknames then perhaps I shall call you something as colorful as blister and parasite, such as weakling, infirm one, oaf, or dunce. As for the matter of my pay, I did not intend to disrupt the incredibly valuable system of wages you seem so dependent upon. I have worked diligently and honestly for every Skrat, and will not tolerate slander towards me or my kind superiors. If you doubt my words, I implore you to listen to the workers below and pay attention to the whining of the drills and not that of self-important toads on the upper floor. I do apologize for interrupting your meeting, my important matters can wait for your bickering to end.”

The kobolds before me seemed baffled by what they were reading. This Truapar guy seemed to be struggling to understand what I had written, while Vynrashu looked like he was barely suppressing his laughter. The older kobold finally sensed the change in atmosphere around him to be one of mockery and bared his fangs at me, his words barely slipping through those teeth of his.

“You…I will not accept such behavior from a lesser inventor. Were you any lower in rank, I would have you cast out this instant! Remember my words: you will regret your mockery!”

His eyes swept over to the boss himself, who had expertly returned to his cool business facade before being noticed.

“Vynrashu, I will be filing a formal complaint for both your misconduct and this irritating brat you are so fixated upon. Once your father learns of this, you will be reprimanded and demoted for sure! You have lost the respect of the high machinists and will know the consequences of doing so very soon!”

The old kobold wasted no time in storming from the room with his tail thrashing about angrily and knocking against furniture as he passed it. I hated stuck up old farts like him, and I’d already suffered through their shit enough for two lifetimes. Now that he was gone and I could close the door to the office I did so and turned to the supervisor I had come to talk with. Oh no, this was a new expression I hadn’t seen him wear before: pain. He held his hands around his snout and massaged from his nose to his eyelids for a bit before mustering the fortitude to speak.

“Gods above and below Kayrux, you really don’t let anyone step on you. Remind me not to ever make his mistake.”

His eyes slipped open while a knowing smile slid into view. Don’t worry boss I’m actually starting to like you a little, and I try not to belittle those who stay on my good side.