Chapter 14: Beyond the Crescent Isle Pt.2

He walked out of the corridors of the Prima Palace, passing through the massive white-marbled pillars and life-like statues of the previous emperors that were lined with each pillar. He always loved the palace corridors, when he was younger. The shiny, well-polished floor was his favorite, as he would conveniently slide on them especially when his running away from his guards.

The crystal chandeliers that hung above them also looked amazing although not necessary. If he were to decide, he would gladly dispose of them and put something more useful, like his illuminations for example. That should put some light into the dark hallways at night. Or maybe, fill the chandeliers with aetherite and make it into a glowing spectacle!

That thought filled his mind until he reached his carriage, waiting for him by the front of the palace. He wants to ditch the carriages as well. He found it too inconvenient for him, especially if he wants to go on a hurry.

He wanted to make an aetherite-powered carriage that he can drive along from the palace to his research facility. But that's far into the future. Right now, he has to solve one of their biggest problems in their weapons research, how to use aetherite as a propelling agent for cannons.

It had been giving him headaches since he proposed it over three months ago. He's still trying to find a way to propel the cannonballs without the use of niter. He believes aetherite is an efficient way to use, so they can mobilize the cannons better even during naval battles and simply, bad weather.

Who knew that useless aetherite has other uses aside from coating metal with gold? He did! His master believed in it. If only he wasn't exiled to the Crescent Isle, he would have loved to see this progress.

The carriage finally stopped, he has arrived at the facility. He joyfully hopped out of the carriage and made his way into the laboratory. Along the hallway, the pulsating glow of aetherite lit the path, making it easier for him to see.

Arterius' visual acuity had always been his problem. As a child he would often be criticized by his sword tutor because he would always get hit by the wooden sword. What his tutor don't know and his father won't believe is that, he had blurry vision. It was only thanks to his mentor, Parcelus, that his father was forced to understand the extent of his problem.

Prior to that, his father would often just dismiss him as lazy or just weak to handle such "menial" task such as sword training and archery.

The lights flickered as he was at the end of the hallway, right where he was about to open the door to the facility. Prince Arterius felt a cold shiver that ran through his spine. He hated the dark, he always did. It was made worse when he was forced to it when he was younger. He wants to forget that part of his past and up until now whenever the light flickers, or he's in darkness, it would emerge.

" Prince Arterius, how long have you been standing there?"

" Waahhh!" The startled prince looked at the man standing in front of the door, " Stolas! Good gods! Don't scare me like that," Arterius heart pounded violently out of his chest.

" My apologies, Prince Arterius," Stolas bowed. " I was about to pick you up...I was startled by you as well, standing at the door like that!"

The prince smiled and shrugged his head, " Well, let's just put it out of the way."

" As you wish, your Majesty."

" I told you not to call me that!"

Both men laugh as they entered the facility.

This facility that he had was constructed under his watchful eyes. It was big enough for the researcher to move around and for their instruments not to tangle and bump around. He reinforced the walls to make sure that it could withstand any explosions, especially with substance reactions. The building is also well-ventilated as summers in the capital can be very hot and the substances they handle might react to the sweltering heat.

" How's our canon going?" Arterius asked.

" Err... No progress for now, my Prince." Stolas shrugged his shoulders.

" Let's go back to the drawing board on that," Arterius eyebrows furrowed as he tried to recall the plan he had last night. " By the way, do we still have some red mercury?"

" Of course, my Prince."

" I'm going to have some of that for my research."

" Are you still planning to emulate the color of the sunset using glowing aetherite?"

" It's just a side project…" Arterius trying to defend his guilty pleasure, " ...you know! To clear my mind."

" Whatever you say," Stolas sighed. " We must make haste of the cannon, my Prince or else--"

" The Senate and the Imperatur won't shut us down!"

Prince Arterius' confidence overwhelmed Stolas. His assistant stayed silent the rest of the way until they reach Prince Arterius' research room. Stolas excused himself to get the red mercury that he was, Arterius was looking for.

Arterius went inside his research room brimmed with transparent glass baubles filled with glowing aetherite that perpetually lit the room. His desk had piles of papers ranging from requests from other researchers to the ignored letters from the Senate.

He immediately donned his special insulating gear that he left at the chair of his desk. He went to his workstation a few steps behind his desk and worked on the solid aetherite that he placed inside a vacuum tube.

He carefully took out the hard aetherite and place it on the table. He took a small clump of it and placed it on a small metal plate which he then heated until the aethrite melted into liquid. He then placed the liquified aetherite on another vacuum tube while putting back the solid one back to its container.

He was supposed to heat up the liquid aetherite,but got distracted by Stolas who entered his chamber that he instead heated the solid one. After Stolas left him with the red mercury, Arterius went back to his work.

He puts the solidified red mercury inside a condenser, heating it up to turn it into its gaseous state. He then connected a tube to an elongated glass bauble, before noticing that he heated the wrong aetherite.

Afraid that the red mercury gas would lose its potency, Arterius, hastily took the liquified form and tried switching it with the solid one, carefully. Unfortunately, his clumsiness took over. Both of the funnels broke, releasing the red gas into the open. He immediately stepped back as the glass shards scattered everywhere and then that's when he noticed it.

The gaseous red mercury was absorbed inside the solidified aetherite, along with a lick of flame from the burner. Right before his very eyes the aetherite began to react with the substance and element inside the vacuum before glowing in a blinding blast of light.

" Prince Arterius! Prince Arterius!" Stolas called him frantically as he was panicking.

Arterius looked around there were speckles of light in his already blurred vision. There was also a loud ringing noise that made him very uncomfortable and dizzy. His body felt heavy and painful to move, but he managed to glance at the hole where his work station was situated before.

That's when it dawned on him. Amassing the little strength he had left, he called for Stolas.

" Stolas! Stolas!"

" I'm here, Prince Arterius!"

Although there was still that loud ringing in his ear, he could vaguely hear the quiver in Stolas' voice.

" Bring me a pencil and paper!"

" Prince Arterius? You're in no condition to--"

" PENCIL AND PAPER, NOW!"

Stolas hurriedly told the other researchers to get him some writing materials. Arterius finally found the answer on how to propel the cannonballs! He cracked a faint smile in his face despite the torturing pain gripping his body.