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With the resources and technical support provided by Councilor Mel and Viktor, Jayce was prepared for his experiment, though his hands still trembled. This wasn't just science; it was the manifestation of his every ideal.
"Don't be nervous, Jayce. You may not believe in yourself, but you can believe in me," Kael said, giving the Resonance Triggering Device a final inspection.
"That's surprisingly comforting," Jayce forced a strained smile. It froze instantly when he saw Kael take several steps back, using Jayce as a human shield.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm still a child; it's your job to protect me from the explosion," Kael said righteously.
Jayce gritted his teeth and initiated the device. Viktor assisted, his eyes filled with a desperate, visionary light. As the Hex-crystal began to spin, vast energy disrupted the electric field, stirring up a localized gale within the warehouse.
"Can this really work?" Mel whispered to Kael.
"The correct resonance frequency will stabilize the output," Kael replied confidently.
"And if it's wrong?"
Kael shrugged. Mel swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on Jayce. She didn't expect success on the first try, but as the energy output hit a critical threshold, the workshop windows shattered. This was the moment of truth.
Suddenly, the dissipating energy revealed mysterious, shimmering runes. Under the specific frequency Kael had calculated, they stacked into a Rune Array. Gravity simply ceased to exist. All objects, including the stunned researchers, began to float.
Kael flicked a gear through the shimmering blue field. It didn't just move; it accelerated beyond the laws of physics.
"Spatial teleportation?" Mel breathed.
"No," Kael corrected. "Time acceleration. The crystal contains the magic of time."
"Gentlemen," Mel said, clutching her skirt as she drifted toward the ceiling. "Could you put me down now?"
The New Workshop
In the weeks that followed, Jayce was busy preparing his thesis for the Council. Kael's apartment had become his own private workshop. While Mel and the Kirammans began the political "Gold Rush" to control the limited supply of Hex-crystals, Kael focused on his own path: the Arc Reactor.
"Damn bastard!" Vi cursed, hauling heavy equipment into Kael's lab.
Vander had sent her, Mylo, and Claggor to perform "hard labor" for Kael. Vi hated it, but the pay was a gold coin a day—a wage that would be fought over in any corner of Zaun. For the same work, Piltoverans usually earned double what Zaunites made; Kael was the only one paying a "Fair Market Rate."
"Nuo! I've refined the Palladium!" Powder shouted, rushing over with her results. Kael rewarded her with two gold coins and a rare word of praise, making Vi's lip curl in envy.
"I've sorted your work permits," Kael told the group, handing over four documents. "You can now enter and exit Piltover freely."
"Who cares? The Enforcers can't catch us anyway," Vi scoffed, though she snatched her permit when she saw her friends happily accepting theirs.
Vi reluctantly relayed a message from Vander: "The Hex-crystals you're looking for... miners once found a vein at the lowest levels, but the mine was sealed. Even Pop can't help you down there. It's too toxic."
"Thanks for the tip," Kael smiled.
The Birth of the Ark Rune
Left alone, Kael examined the Palladium Powder had refined. He initiated the cold fusion reaction. Everything proceeded according to Tony Stark's theory, but Kael felt a growing "Spiritual Pressure."
Suddenly, a faint rune appeared within the arc light.
Kael realized the truth: on Runeterra, all material elements are derivatives of Rune Power. As he increased the intensity, the space itself began to tremble. The Arc Reactor wasn't just generating power; it was acting as an anchor, allowing runic energy to radiate into the material dimension.
Hex-crystals were just physical echoes of this power. But Rune Power was self-aware—it could distort the mind and soul of anyone who used it without a stable conduit.
Kael picked up the humming device. "Arc Reactor" was no longer an accurate designation.
"Perhaps... the Ark Rune Reactor."
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