Two days had passed since we returned to Markoth, but we had not touched down near the city at first.

Instead, we landed far to the south, in the more open plains. The Camelot touched down on the grasslands while our crew spent the better part of the first day performing extensive contamination checks. I was not going to risk Sasha or Merlin getting exposed to residual CC dust that we may have brought back, especially if we were wrong and this stuff did cling to anything other than magic. The ship itself, every centimeter of it, the mechs, our armor and clothes, and everything else were inspected. Twice.

Merlin, of course, found the delays tedious and unnecessary. Sasha, on the other hand, waited patiently, although I could tell by her posture that she was also just as impatient. But quarantine is quarantine, and sometimes it is necessary.

However, what reassured me and everyone else onboard while traveling back to Markoth was that Pion and the rest of the soldiers who had experienced nausea and fever while down in the mist and near the crater recovered almost immediately upon exiting the contaminated area. Their symptoms vanished within minutes of returning to clean air and out of the range.

Still, their armor, weapons, and gear were put away to be sure. Luckily, no sickness returned even after two full days under strict observation. Everything pointed to one very specific trait that we will have to add to our books: CC dust didn’t cling to material objects or to people. For now, we can safely assume that it only gets attracted to active magic. My guess is that there also needs to be a specific strength behind said magic. The presence of a formation or a thin blood tattoo is not enough. It requires a particular activity before it reacts, but then, the reaction is immediate.

When the second day ended, and once I was certain that everything was safe, I finally authorized Merlin and Sasha to approach. I met them both on the main deck of the Camelot and once again, Sasha kissed me before even saying hello, right while Merlin kept watching us, giving me an impatient glare.

"Where are the samples you mentioned in your message that you are bringing back?" Merlin asked after Sasha and me parted, pulling on his gloves.

"In the forward lab," I shrugged, exchanging a glance with Sasha, and began leading the way. I kept it sealed, and the soldiers who carried it remained under surveillance. No adverse effects were noted… but you are better at sensing magic. Before we enter, I want you to do your own tests and summon some magic or something. Let’s be sure all is good."

"Sure, sure," he muttered, his eyes sparkling. "Let’s see what this new discovery is all about!"

Standing before the sealed door, after multiple formations summoned by both of them, no reactions came through, and neither of them could feel anything amiss. So, with a solemn nod, I pulled the opening lever and stepped in first, always keeping an eye on the two, ready to push them out if I saw the faintest sign of them getting dizzy or feeling weird.

Inside the designated lab room, the former bone weapon, which was the first to draw in the CC dust, lay on a table, completely transformed. What had once been a slightly curved blade of monster bone was now a gnarled club-like lump enveloped in crystalline growths all around its basic shape. Honestly, I wasn’t sure that it still had any bone inside of it because it became opaque, and whatever shine I shined onto it… There was no sign of the bone still inside.

“Hm…” Sasha was the first to speak, reaching out to the hilt that was still visible, "It... feels like CC."

"How heavy?" Merlin asked.

I watched as she reached for the balance scale prepared nearby and began adjusting the counterweights with quiet focus. The needle teetered as the weights shifted.

"Almost two kilos…" she said, eyes narrowing. “One-point-five if we discount its handle.”

"Are you sure?" Merlin asked, leaning close and studying the clump. "It does feel authentic…”

"Yes, it does. Even with the hilt stuck to it, I have the gut feeling that we could break it off without much effort. And that the added weight comes from that, the rest is… The same as any naturally formed CC."

Merlin kept humming, his eyes gleaming even more intensely now. No wonder, as his earlier irritation was gone, replaced by child-like fascination. Finally, he reached out to tap the edge of the crystal with a metal rod, banging on it, listening to the sharp chime echoing while the rod bounced back in his hand.

"Same sound... Same hardiness, too. Of course, we will need to test that part more, like whacking it with a mech."

“Careful,” I warned him, “It could break and then contaminate the area. We will do it… veeeery carefully.”

“I agree.” Sasha nodded, looking at Merlin, who, seeing he had been voted down, just shrugged and returned to his investigation.

He circled the lump, then motioned with one hand, summoning a small formation. He let it hover below his palm as he began moving it up and down above the CC.

“The readouts are confirming it,” he said, eyes closed, getting a feel for it. “It's magical conductivity, integrity, and reaction to my probing, all are in sync with how stable CC feels.”

"It is CC, then," Sasha whispered. "Can you feel the original part of it? The bone?"

“No.” Merlin shook his head, deactivating his spell. “I am 99% sure that the bone is no longer there. It ceased to exist, and everything within has turned into pure, crystallized magical energy.”

“There was a saying once… Matter doesn't disappear; it transforms.” I said while I crossed my arms. "It seems this is extra true with magic or whatnot… The dust reforms into proper CC... But only when it contacts active magic." I continued, explaining my theory.

"Yes," Sasha agreed, nodding her head. "That’s why the dust in the air didn't react to you or the environment. It needs an active magical signal to get attracted to. Otherwise, it may just hover there… as mist. The monster’s core was big enough to create that effect, but I bet that a smaller CC and its dust would maybe even be invisible to our eyes. Which would be very, very dangerous."

“Oh, for sure!” Merlin grunted, and he was already pacing back and forth. "And that explains the soldiers' symptoms. The dust didn't cling to their bodies. But it had to react to the presence of their blood tattoos! They are not used to magic, so their bodies can’t deal with the reaction. Not to mention, they were sealed in their armor, which was a good thing… I think you are right, Leon. It needs a certain level of magic to reform into its original state. Or a certain wavelength!" He exclaimed, snapping his finger, “Probably one that appears on activated magic!”

“That sounds logical,” I stared at the crystal, playing with my beard. "It got attracted to it when the soldier activated his weapon. The surrounding mist coalesced into this."

"Exactly." Merlin hummed happily, “I can see why it is deadly to mages. Just by the fact that we have magic in our body, ready to summon it into a formation, it could cling to us inside.”

"And when we try to use magic… They would have formed pebbles inside our organs," Sasha finished, her tone grim, grimacing. "And we would be dead."

“Exactly!” he giggled, making me twitch the edge of my lip as I watched their completely opposite reactions.

"That also explains monster cores," I interjected, making them turn to me.

“Of course!” Merlin snapped his fingers, nodding his head, which almost fell off his neck. "Yes! It makes complete sense! Monsters somehow digest or absorb CC, maybe even turn it into CC dust inside their bodies… I bet that it is a dangerous move; that is why not every beast we slay has a core. Only the big ones, creatures that managed to do it and evolve into something different! I am sure of it.” He concluded, arms crossed, happily, giggling to himself, “Hmm… I can theorize that inside their bodies, the dust reacts to their innate magical abilities, and those that survive form a core."

"But why them and not us?" Sasha asked.

“Maybe we can do it too… I wouldn’t disqualify the idea…” Merlin shook his head. "But honestly speaking, no idea. Biology, maybe. Or their ambient mana signature is different from ours, yet stable enough to direct the reaction. We simply don’t know yet."

"Which means," I added, "that if we could learn how they do it, we might be able to replicate it."

“Hmmm…” Merlin turned to me. "You want to grow CC cores?" Then he looked at my red hair.

"No," I said immediately, shaking my head, afraid he would start experimenting on himself. The idiot… "But we might learn how to safely neutralize CC dust. Or better yet, gather and reforge it. That crater is still bathed in a massive cloud of mist. What if the air spreads it around? Yeah, no. We need to somehow contain it."

“That won’t be easy…” Sasha sighed, shaking her head after a moment of silence.

"Either way," Merlin clapped, motioning toward the transformed weapon, "this confirms it: CC is actually indestructible, even if we smash it into dust! It can be broken down into dust, and it can reform. That breaks every rule we've recorded until now."

“Also,” I moaned, pinching the ridge of my nose, “I will deem it against Avalonian laws to create CC dust. Without my exact permission, it will count as a capital offense.”

“…” Merlin wanted to say something, but in the end, he was mature enough not to.

“Make sure it is clear as day when we return to Avalon,” I added, looking at him until he finally nodded.

While I was instructing Merlin, Sasha turned back to the crystal again.

"We must record the collection of CC dust and do it in great detail! I want to run some calculations on how fast the dust reacts to magic. Try to use different types of spells if possible; maybe elemental affinities matter, and they also may not. We'd better test it."

“It will waste a few monster-bone weapons, but I agree.” Merlin nodded. "Leon, you must log the full reaction window, then compare it. We may find a pattern!”

“Yeah, I can do that.” I shrugged, tapping the side of my head. “Oh well, I can’t take you there, so… I will be your eyes for another trip.”

…

..Multiple days before..

…..

The winds blowing through the city of Dagar Khun that exact morning were pretty harsh but also hot, thanks to the summer heat.

Tula-Kahn Rhanak, the Emperor of the Khulman Empire, held the Gauntlets of War before him as he stroked them, meditating, thinking about Avalon. It has been weeks since he sent Bakhi away and for a whole week… There was no new news coming back. He wasn’t a paranoid man… but he was unsure what to think.

And it didn’t help that suddenly, warning horns were being blown out in the far distance, their warning traveling back towards the city, forcing the warriors inside to sound their own. He knew from the sound that his riders, sent on constant patrol, had spotted an anomaly, and by the tone of the horns, it was heading directly towards them.

Sure enough, he spotted it first, his eyes looking not out to the flatlands but up towards the clear sky. It… That thing moved slowly, but he knew that was only an illusion as it was coming into view very quickly. It looked like a floating fortress. A dark omen that may have been bringing death to his empire.

"An Ishillian weapon?" the Kahn asked, his voice unsure. He was recalling the knowledge his ancestors had collected about that faraway, famous empire, but the details of the shape of those didn’t match. After he spoke, one of the armor sets that looked like a decoration in the room moved and answered.

"We must prepare for battle, My Kahn.”

“Don’t be hasty,” Rhanak growled. “At least… I know what it must be. The Ishillians had something like that… Who says our new friends don’t have something similar?”

“Should I rouse the archers of the palace, though? The war Shamans—?”

“No.” The Kahn cut him off. “If they meant harm, I don’t think we would have had time to react.”

“Then what shall we tell the people?”

“Tell them to act like Khulman warriors! I don’t want a soul to spread useless panic on my streets,” Rhanak’s eyes narrowed. “Tell them to watch and be vigilant. If Avalon comes with bad intentions, we will answer so. But I trust that young boy… His fighting didn’t feel treacherous.” He turned and began walking down the terrace steps of his palace, “Summon the rest of my Guard. Dress the steps of Ironsky in gold and crimson. Let them come and see us unmoved but welcoming.”