The next day was full of work for Lucius. He cut up more of the Brightmetal into more strips and created a bunch more of the light bulbs. He installed a generator (the Mana Crystal and the AE Crystal) inside his room and strung up lights in his room, but that's when he found an error in his ideas.
To power the lights, he needed to constantly spin the Mana Crystal. But unless he was willing to just sit there and spin the crystal just to power lights that would inevitably turn off once he stopped, he needed to find a way to keep the crystal spinning.
Lucius thought of his gun. The Mana Crystal inside was powered by a spiral bevel gear*, and when Lucius pulled the trigger back, it would spin the crystal inside. He couldn't use that because, again, he was there to pull the trigger.
*(AN: this is the Spiral Bevel Gear https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiral_bevel_gear)
Then, he thought of a genius idea.
I need magnets, Lucius thought and quickly drew up a plan.
He would attach magnets with a positive charge to the Mana Crystal and attach a negative magnet to something near the Mana Crystal. They would push away from each other, and since the negative magnet is immobilized and the magnets on the Mana Crystal wasn't, the Mana Crystal would be forced to spin. If the entire Mana Crystal was covered with positive magnets, it would be forced to spin continuously.
This plan yet revealed another flaw—he didn't have magnets. Lucius was pretty sure that he couldn't just magically create some magnets with what he had, and so far, nothing he encountered was magnetic.
So he did the usual—he went out and talked to Balos and Luna.
"Do you guys know of something that is magnetic?" Lucius asked. They both nodded.
"Yes, but it doesn't exist within the grasp of anyone in the village or exists in this forest. The closest way to obtain something magnetic is from Trupe City, which is directly east of here," Balos said.
"Is this for another of your crazy inventions?" Luna asked with a grin. Lucius nodded.
"So how long would it take to get from the city and back?" Lucius asked.
"On foot, it would take a few days if you could travel more than ten miles (about sixteen kilometers). With some form of transportation, it could take a day or so. But it would be filled with lots of monster attacking you and many other things that will slow you down." Balos said.
This set Lucius' plans back even further. He was still expecting an attack, and in a week, Baylight could be completely overrun and burned to the ground. He wasn't willing to take that risk, but he really needed to get his hands on magnets. It was the only way he could think of to spin the Mana Crystal continuously.
Crestfallen, Lucius said, "Man. I really needed those magnets."
Then, once again, his brain starting to work furiously.
He said if I had a form of transportation, it would be faster. But we don't have any transportation. I might just need to get there and back as soon as possible, Lucius thought.
"If I leave for a week or so, do you think this village will be safe?" Lucius asked anxiously.
"We will probably be fine unless Voxis Kingdom comes in with their best men and generals. But we are well defended, but if you do leave, make sure you return quick," Balos said.
"Well, I guess I'll start right now. The faster I get back, the better," Lucius said and ran back to his room. He strapped his sword to his belt and dropped his gun over his back, grabbed his money, and set off.
He had no need for food or other supplies since it would be all taken care of in the real world.
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Just like what Balos predicted, it took Lucius about three days to get to Trupe City. After his training with Balos, the beasts that Lucius encountered were simple to beat; he also quickly got past an Eloon without much difficulty.
"State your purpose," one of the guards at the gate said.
"Uh... I am here to trade," Lucius said.
"Do you have weapons on you?" The other guard asked.
"Yes I do," Lucius said, then started to panic. What if they took them?
"Very well; you may pass, but if you cause any problems, we will not hesitate to, neutralize you," the first guard said and the gate opened up silently.
So that's how the function of magic works, Lucius marveled as he stepped into the city.
Lucius navigated his way through the city until he heard the jingle of street vendors.
"Freshly cooked fish for only twenty-five Orbs! Get them while they're hot!"
"Very sharp swords for five-hundred Orbs!"
The vendors continued to yell out products and prices. Lucius' mouth watered as he gazed at the rows of baked goods and cooked meats, but he was here for only one purpose: to figure out where magnets were sold.
Soon, his feet was sore and he couldn't find out where the magnets were. So he gave up his solo adventure and walked up to someone who was in a group of three.
"'Scuse me," Lucius said as he tapped the person on the shoulder. She turned.
"Do you know where I can find magnets?" Lucius asked.
She nodded and said, "They are in the south side of the Market Square. I can lead you there if you want."
"That'll be great; thanks," Lucius said.
The group lead Lucius through the Market Square.
"So, what's your name?" She asked.
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"Lucius..." Lucius said. He didn't bother giving his last name out.
"Last name?"
Well ain't that marvelous, Lucius thought. What was the last name that I gave the villagers? Um... Oh, it was Avalan!
"Avalan," Lucius said.
"I'm Setsu," Setsu said. "Please to meet you."
"Uh, sure," Lucius said. The group snickered.
"Oh, Setsu is being overly friendly again," Lucius heard one of them whisper behind him.
Ignoring them, Lucius moved quickly and forced the rest of the group to move faster to their destination.
They arrived at a shop that was called, "BITS AND ARTIFACTS." They went in.
The shop was dimly lit and smelled like old, dry wood. Lining the walls were strange crystals, ores, and things in jars that Lucius didn't want to unscrew. He walked up to the counter while the rest of the group stayed behind and looked around the shop.
"Do you sell magnets?" Lucius asked.
"Yes I do; they are over there," the shop owner said and pointed to one of the shelves that were lined with black things of all shapes. Lucius thanked the owner and walked to it.
He picked one up and bounced it in his palm. He envisioned the crystal and it's size, trying to figure out a good size for the magnets.
Finally, he settled on a bunch of small magnets that were attracted to each other. They didn't cost much, so Lucius grabbed a bunch and put it in a bag. But even the bunch that he put in the bag only cost about two hundred Orbs, so Lucius called it a steal.
As he was approaching the counter, the shopkeeper looked at the back of the gun sticking up behind Lucius.
"That is no ordinary weapon. Is that an artifact?"
"What's an artifact?" Lucius asked, confused.
The shopkeeper told Lucius that an artifact was an object of massive power, which essentially what his gun was.
"Sorry, but I am in no position to answer," Lucius said.
He quickly paid and left the store, followed by Setsu.
"Where are you going? I mean, where do you live?" Setsu asked while she noticed him going toward the exit. "That's the south side; there is no town or anything on that side."
"Sorry, but I have no time to answer. I need to leave as soon as possible," Lucius said.
"Is that thing on your back an artifact?"
"I cannot answer that."
Instantly, he regretted saying that. There was a strange look in the eyes in the rest of the group's eyes as they eyed the gun.
"An artifact is worth a lot of money. Do you want us to take it off your hands?" One of them said.
Instantly, Lucius turned around and sprinted through the gate, pursued by the rest of the group. Only Setsu seemed worried.
The guards let him through the gate and he went into the forest, pulling his katana out of his sheath along the way.
As soon as he was out of the sight of the guards, he turned around and faced his pursuers.
I can't lead them to Baylight! I need to face this alone... These greedy bastards!
"Why do you want this?!" Lucius said as he glared at them.
"Didn't you hear us? It will be enough to make us rich!" One of them yelled back. He could see the figure of Setsu rush toward them, but it would be too long to defuse greed.
One of them attempted to take off from him, but Lucius unhinged the sword top and let it rush toward the person who tried to attack him. He backed off quickly.
I need to leave now! Lucius thought. He gripped the gun on his back and yanked it out, quickly changing the chamber to the one that had the Wind Crystals.
I hope this works! Lucius pleaded and jumped in the air. He pulled the trigger while he was in mid-air and there was the sound of a gun being fired.
Instantly, a gale rushed out of the barrel of the gun and pushed Lucius into the air, propelling him up and out. The group under him was scattered as the wind hit them, scattered them in all sorts of directions. Setsu, who wasn't hit, looked at Lucius with shock.
I would thank you, but...
The group got to their feet and looked at Lucius, who was currently soaring right over the trees.
"Is that even an artifact?!" One of them said, still shocked.
"I dunno. I didn't feel a magic pulse from that, but there was no way that it was from a crystal. Even for artifacts, you should be able to feel a pulse from that."
Setsu finally caught up to the group.
"What on Zenos were you guys thinking?!" She yelled. She also looked up to where Lucius was flying away from, also with a curious look on her face.
"C'mon, you know that you wanted that artifact," one of them said. "It could've paid your mother's medical bills."
The greedy look slowly entered her eyes, but it faded away quickly. "But that wasn't the way to get it!"
"Well, we can't get it anymore," the others said.
"Yeah, speaking of that, where did he go? There's nothing that way unless he lives in the forest, and the next civilization that way is over fifty miles (or 80.5 kilometers) away," another said.
Setsu looked at where she last saw Lucius fly away. He disappeared from her view.
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As soon as Lucius lost his momentum, he knew that he was in trouble.
The wind mercilessly whipped his face as he soared through the air over the trees. But soon, he started to descend until he could reach out and feel the tops of the trees.
Sticking his hand out, he took hold of a branch to try and break his flight. But the branch he took instantly ripped off the tree and made Lucius lurch.
He did it again, and this time, he managed to hang on the branch and fall to the ground. Flat on his back.
Groaning, Lucius could feel his hand bleeding and filled with splinters from the tree. He just wanted to lie there and sleep, but he knew he had to get back to Baylight.
He carefully picked out the splinters out of his hand and covered his hand with leaves to protect the open wound. Then, Lucius rushed off to Baylight.
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He stumbled over the hill and in front of Lucius sat Baylight. Nothing seemed amiss.
Exhaling with relief, Lucius went inside his workshop and dropped his bag of magnets on the table. Then he went out and walked inside his the main house.
He grabbed the roll of white bandages and sat down. He winced off as he peeled off the makeshift bandage, the leaf, then wrapped his hand up.
After the bandaging his cuts, Lucius walked out and sought Luna and Balos.
He found them quickly. Lucius waved.
"Yo," he said.
"You're back!" Luna exclaimed.
"Yup. Anything go wrong here?"
"No, not at all. But you remember when you were going to plant a field, but you didn't do it?" Luna asked.
"Yeah...?"
"Well, the wolf-people went ahead and planted things in the field. Apparently, they do eat some kinds of vegetables."
"Should've asked me first," Balos said.
"Whatever. Did you get the magnets?" Luna asked.
"Yup. It wasn't too hard," Lucius said. He didn't mention the people that attempted to take the gun from him.
"Well, get on with it! I want to see what you are making!" Luna exclaimed. Grinning, Lucius rushed away and to the workshop.
He created a mixture of mud and sap and slathered some to the bottom of a magnet. He stuck it to the Mana Crystal and held it there for a minute. He did that until most of the crystal was covered.
Then, he made a tripod and stuck a bunch of the opposite magnets to it, and when he put it near (and held the tripod very, very firmly), the Mana Crystal started to turn!
The electricity came out and powered on the lights in the workshop. Smiling even bigger, Lucius stuck the tripod in the ground near the Mana Crystal, and it continued to spin.
He quickly created another one and put it in his house, and it worked the same way.
For the turn-off mechanism, Lucius made it so he could swivel the tripod away from the generator without moving the base, which broke the magnetic repelling force. And when he did that, the lights turned off.
Then, Lucius spent the next two hours created another generator and a tripod and brought them down to one of the houses.
He knocked on the door, and Talis answered it.
"Hello there, Lucius. Ah, I see you've brought something..." Talis looked at the light bulbs, wire, generator, and the tripod crammed in Lucius' hand.
"Wait and see. You won't be disappointed," Lucius said. Talis let him in and Lucius dropped the generator and tripod on the ground.
Then, he wired in the light bulbs around in the house and connected all of it to a wire near the generator. Then, he set the tripod up.
With a faint hum, the Mana Crystal started to spin and the house was soon filled with lights.
"Whoa..." Talis and his family looked up at the lights in wonder. "Is this what you used the Brightmetal for?"
"Yup! This is my returning favor," Lucius said.
"This is too much though. Will the rest of the houses get this?" Talis asked.
"Yeah, but you get it first. This wouldn't have been possible without you, anyway," Lucius said. "Well, I have to go. Best wishes!" Lucius said.
"And you too," Talis said.