CHAPTER 114: THE DARK MATTER REACTOR

The research lab of Vaingall was a maelstrom of controlled chaos.

At the center of the chamber, Kivas, Samael, and Oizys stood before a prototype vessel meant to be the Living Dark Matter, their expressions a mix of awe and unease.

The object before them defied expectation, as in their expectation of what should be a proper presentation of the Living Dark Matter product.

Instead of a stable and malleable blob that could be programmed to shaped into useful tools, the thing in front of them was a writhing, ever-shifting geometrical mass of pure black, its surface outlined by pulsating white lines that shook violently, like a synthwave grid caught in a storm.

Encased in a shimmering sphere of Samael’s space-manipulation spell concoction and Kivas’s divine miracles, it hovered, radiating a dangerous energy that seemed to warp the air around it.

Oizys’s black feather wings twitched, her arms crossed tightly as she leaned forward, her violet halo steady but her eyes wide with disbelief. "What in the abyss did we just create?" she asked, her voice sharp with exasperation.

Kivas’s fingers danced nervously over a blackened crystal shard on the table beside her, her grin wild but tempered by focus. "Well, actually... We might’ve birthed a new form of existence," she said, her posture rigid with excitement. "This isn’t just dark matter anymore—it’s self-replicating, self-destroying, and emitting energy like an overexcited monster that radiates despair and destruction if it is touched even a single bit.

"Technically, it’s alive, in its own chaotic way."

Samael’s hands rested on her hips, her draconic wings folded tightly as her sharp gaze studied the pulsating mass. "This isn’t what we planned for the Living Dark Matter," she said, her tone calm but laced with pragmatism. "It’s too unstable to shape into constructs. But that energy output is certainly an unexpected discovery for something that should be bending space and nothing else—why not pivot? Turn it into a power source instead."

Kivas’s eyes widened, her fingers pausing mid-motion as she turned to Samael, her grin spreading. "Like a reactor? That’s brilliant!:

Oizys’s wings flared slightly, her lips curling into a rare, genuine smile. "Samael, you’re a genius. Why didn’t we think of that sooner?"

To capture both versions of Kivas’ intrigue and attention, Samael was sure to be hit by pride and a sense of achievement. Though, she didn’t really care much for one of the two Kivases.

The trio exchanged glances, the weight of their discovery settling over them like a mantle.

The Living Dark Matter project was dead; the Dark Matter Reactor was born.

Kivas clapped her hands, her posture straightening with renewed purpose. "Let’s get to work. Oizys, you’re overseeing the engineering of a vessel that will house the core. We need a core that maximizes energy emission, even if it means embracing the volatility.

"Because of that, we will need a dastardly durable and efficient method to utilize it."

Oizys nodded. "Well, let’s build something that doesn’t blow us up—again."

"Nah, it will blow up again," Samael casually remarked.

"It will definitely blow up again," Kivas confirmed, based on their recent history record.

"Waryness is healthy, but not to this extent," Oizys scorned.

Over the next four days, the lab was ever busy with the three entities of curiosities trying to seek a path toward their envisioned Eden.

The prototype vessel evolved into a massive machine, roughly the size of a house, its design echoing the principles of Earth’s nuclear fusion reactors but steeped in the arcane technology that was commonly seen in Fathomi.

The reactor’s core was a reinforced chamber of blackened obsidian, etched with concocted spell engraving that glowed faintly to stabilize the volatile dark matter within.

At its heart sat the Dark Matter Rod—a cylindrical core of a long, pulsating, and chaotic black crystal that could essentially explode at any moment but can’t because of its environment.

Its white outlines writhing like living circuitry, suspended in a lattice of crystalline conduits that channeled its raw energy. Surrounding the core were concentric rings of mana-infused steel, rotating slowly to maintain the space-compression field, a fusion of Samael’s spellcraft and Kivas’s miracles to ensure safety.

Valves of unique formation and crystal dotted the structure, designed to redirect the reactor’s energy output like a circulatory system, preventing catastrophic overloads.

Oizys moved through the lab with relentless focus, her black feather wings rustling as she adjusted a valve or recalibrated a sigil.

"Tighten that conduit—any leak, and we’re all ash," she snapped, her fingers gesturing sharply to a Claturian engineer towering over her.

Despite her harsh tone, the engineers responded with enthusiasm, their amazonian forms moving with surprising grace, their menacing size softened by their curious nature.

While it was more efficient to utilize Samael’s divine constructs since it was essentially Samael themselves to a great extent, making the Claturian participates will greatly increase their overall capabilities and knowledge, utilizing and growing their talents that may never see a light thanks to their former tribalistic lifestyle.

Kivas, meanwhile, pored over holographic glyphs projected from the original schematic cube, her fingers tracing equations in the air as she muttered to herself.

"Hmm, maybe adding more concepts to the miracle will just bloat its meaning if I don’t have the sufficient faith for it. Wait, maybe Yoiglah can do this."

Samael oversaw the spellwork currently being tinkered on the reactor, her hands weaving threads of mana to reinforce the reactor’s containment field, her draconic wings twitching with each precise gesture.

After a while, the first iteration of the Dark Matter Reaction was essentially erected within the temples of Vaingall.

"This time, it won’t explode," Kivas grinned.

"Hmm, it is not looking explosive, I can confirm," Samael nodded in agreement.

"You two are still about this!?"

The next day, the focus shifted to integration.

The Smart Assimilation Defense, or SAD, Vaingall’s primary automated defense network, was the first to benefit.

The reactor’s energy surged through its conduits, enhancing the SAD’s performance—faster targeting, greater accuracy, and the ability to project barriers of warped space around key structures.

Kivas tested the system herself, her fingers gripping a control panel as she directed a simulated attack. The SAD responded flawlessly, its beams slicing through holographic targets with precision that drew a satisfied nod from her.

"This might just be me, but isn’t this tech too modern for Fathomi?" Oizys commented.

"There is no such thing as too modern within Fathomin," Samael answered.

But the reactor’s potential stretched far beyond defense.

Its exotic energy could be harnessed for offensive constructs, like the Eldritch Bolt—a devastating projectile of raw power that Kivas had once ordered to be used against the Nihil.

On top of that, the reactor could power an Eldritch Bolt Launcher, a massive artillery system planned for Vaingall’s scattered territories.

Oizys sketched designs for the launcher, her hands moving rapidly over a tablet as she envisioned turrets rising from the interconnected islands of Vaingall’s space.

The reactor’s versatility didn’t end there. Its energy could be converted into a liquid form—a shimmering, viscous fluid that glowed with the same pulsating white outlines as the Dark Matter Rod.

This liquid, dubbed "Darkness Essence" by Kivas, could be acted as a catalyst for spell concoctions, its potency rivaling noble-tier Curio Items, with it having more compatibility with space and gravity related spells or skills.

A single vial could amplify a spell’s range or intensity, making it a priceless asset for Vaingall’s mages or even for overall trading, further enriching the assets and economy of the Consortium and its popularity amongst its trading partners.

"Our wealth is exploding," Kivas grinned.

"The explosion is more intense than the third failed dark matter crystal we attempted," Samael nodded.

"You two are just using this as a bit now, huh."

Azulus, the newly minted Field Archivist, had also secured a plot in the temple district for her Feather Library.

The structure rose swiftly through some kind of mysterious Karasu’s sorcery, a sleek tower of obsidian and darkened wood.

Her Tengus, their black metallic wings glinting, worked tirelessly—carrying tomes, etching wards, and installing arcane projectors.

Azulus herself stood at the entrance, her small frame dwarfed by the tower’s grandeur, her hands fidgeting with her high tech Karasu robe as she oversaw the final touches.

Following Kivas’s suggestion, Azulus opened the library’s ground floor to the public, transforming it into an education and news hub.

Non-redacted Karasu archives—maps, histories, and reports—were displayed on glowing panels, accessible to Vaingall’s citizens.

"I heard that Karasu is establishing a new infrastructure on the Southeast Arc."

"It’s that small rat-eared individual that tends to drink in your pub."

"Should we gather the folks and check?"

"Why not? Let’s give our little friend a visit."

The Claturians, with their towering forms and curious minds, flocked to the library within hours, their voices filling the space with excited chatter.

Kivas visited the library, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp as she greeted Azulus. "You’ve outdone yourself," she said, her fingers gesturing to the bustling crowd. "To see my people being provided with more than just food and comfort is such a pleasant sight to see."

Azulus’s mouse-like features flushed with pride, her hands smoothing her robe. "I’m just glad it’s working and accepted well by the locals. And your offer of free supply Darkness Essence, is definitely more than enough to make up for it

Kivas nodded, her grin softening. "Free energy is free energy. Use it well."

"I’m mostly going to sell it though."

"Sell it higher than our prices, then I’ll have Samael go after you."

Back in the lab, Oizys leaned against a scorched table, her black feather wings folded as she summoned a shadowy tendril to toy with a stray piece of debris.

Her violet halo flickered with amusement as she glanced at Samael, who was calibrating the reactor’s valves.

"You know," Oizys said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "we’ve basically ditched the Black Living Cloud schematic entirely. Cayame would be so proud."