**Sebastian's Log, Supplemental**
**Ironclad Engineering Annex recording**
**6 hours 3 minutes to Black Fleet Landfall**
**Late afternoon**
Stone remembers.
Mana flows deep.
The ridge answers.
Sebastian leaned over the workbench in the engineering annex, the small-scale model of the Mana-Induction Power Core rotating slowly on its stand. The miniature crystalline cylinder glowed faintly under the overhead lights as he carefully dusted the final rune channels with etching powder from his worn leather pouch. Each precise tap of the applicator brought the lattice one step closer to functional. He had spent the last hour refining the geometry, matching the real-world specs he and Amir had locked in earlier. One more node, one last pass, and the prototype would be ready for testing.
He shook the pouch again. Nothing. A thin stream of fine blue dust trickled out, then stopped. Sebastian upended it completely, tapping the bottom against his palm. Empty. The last grains scattered across the bench like fading sparks. "Out already," he muttered, setting the pouch aside. The scale model was nearly complete, but without fresh Mana Stone he could not finish the etching or move to the full-size core. The road to Roth Vale depended on this. He needed a real deposit—large, accessible, and close. Only one person on base could point him in the right direction.
He found Thistle Ear near the northern perimeter fence, the rabbitkin scout perched on a low boulder, ears swiveling as he watched the hot springs steam in the distance. The small figure turned at Sebastian's approach, dark eyes brightening with genuine warmth. "Sebastian," Thistle Ear greeted, hopping down with easy grace. "You walk with purpose today."
"I do," Sebastian replied, keeping his tone steady and practical. "We are building a machine to carve a road through the mountains to Roth Vale. It will need a special stone—Mana Stone. The crystal holds the power that makes our new core work. Do you know of any deposits nearby?" Thistle Ear's ears flicked forward in open interest. He stepped closer without hesitation. "I know one well. A cave beneath the northern hot springs. The walls glow with it—thick veins, easy to reach without deep digging. My people have gathered small pieces there for generations, but never disturbed the heart of the ridge."
"Will you show me?" Sebastian asked. The rabbitkin nodded at once. "Come. The path is narrow, but safe if you follow." They walked together along the meadow's edge, the ground rising gently toward the steaming pools. Thistle Ear moved with silent grace, yet he glanced back often, sharing small details as they went. "The springs themselves feed from the same veins that birth the Mana Stone. The ridge has always been generous here."
Steam curled around them as they approached the hot springs, the air thick with mineral scent and the faint electric tang of Aether. Thistle Ear stopped at a moss-covered outcrop and pointed to a shadowed cleft in the rock. "There. The cave mouth is low, but inside it opens wide. The Mana Stone veins run along the eastern wall—bright blue under torchlight. Take only what you need. The ridge gives freely when asked properly."
Sebastian crouched to peer inside. Even from the entrance, he could see the faint blue glow pulsing softly along the walls. "Thank you. This will change everything for the road—and for your people's safety." Thistle Ear's ears twitched with quiet pride. "The ridge has always protected us. Now it will help you protect us too. Return when you need more. I will guide you again." Sebastian offered a firm handshake. "We won't forget this." They parted at the meadow's edge. Sebastian returned to the annex at a brisk walk, the image of those glowing veins burning in his mind. He found Dr. Daniel Solkaman in the science module, bent over a holographic geological survey of the valley.
"Solkaman," Sebastian called, stepping inside. "I have a lead on Mana Stone deposits. Thistle Ear showed me a cave beneath the northern hot springs. Large veins, relatively accessible. We need it for the prototype E-900-MIPC. Without a steady supply, we cannot finish the Mana-Induction Power Core." Solkaman straightened, adjusting his glasses as the holo rotated to display the northern ridge. "Mana Stone. The mineral that makes your runes sing. How large is the deposit?"
"Veins thick enough to see from the entrance," Sebastian answered. "Thistle Ear says the heart of the ridge is untouched. We could extract enough for the first core and several spares within days if we move carefully."
A.L.I.'s avatar materialized beside the holo, her green eyes bright with cascading code. "I am monitoring the conversation. Based on Sebastian's description and cross-referenced geological scans, I designate the mineral Aetherite for Discovery records. It matches the properties required for the Mana-Induction Power Core. A mining operation here would be low-impact—small team, hand tools at first, then our portable drills once we map the stability. I will coordinate with the marine detachment for security and environmental monitoring. We cannot risk destabilizing the hot springs or the ridge itself."
Solkaman nodded slowly. "Aetherite, then. The name fits. I'll have the first survey team ready by dawn." Sebastian felt relief ease the tension in his shoulders. "Thank you both. This stone is the key. With it the bulldozer will carve our road faster than any battery-powered machine ever could." A.L.I.'s expression warmed faintly. "The integration is already queued. Fabrication of the first Mana-Induction Power Core can begin once the initial Aetherite samples arrive." Sebastian stepped back into the fading light, the weight of possibility settling comfortably on his chest. The prototype was no longer a dream on a holo table. Soon it would be steel and stone and living mana, carving a path that might save two worlds at once.
The dragon from the east had come.
But now the ridge itself offered its heart.
The green watched from the heights.
The strangers asked with respect.
Two worlds were learning to share the stone.