Kettle started projecting directly to Tad. He saw millions of stars and a tremendous multi-colored fog with giant bolts of lightning flashing through it as his view moved across the scene.

"That is the Maelstrom. You will notice the different colors. Those are different mana types. It engulfed all of existence. You are probably asking yourself... What does this matter? The foci magic does this all the time. Life, Order, Void, and Chaos, right? Well, no, this was the very first time." Kettle paused for a few moments as Tad's mental view zoomed in on planets that changed when the storm hit them. Not just a little, but a lot. Some went from blue-green to red, others went from black to blue-green. "

"You see, before the Maelstrom, existence had no magic. Or so very little all sentient beings stopped believing in it. They pursued a different magic called science and another called self-gratification. " continued Kettle.

The image changed again. This time it moved across space and magnified and magnified again. An object came into view. It was a large metal rock with lights glowing here and there on its pitted and scared surface.

"This is the Phoenix project. It is a void ship, not a magic void but an empty void. There is a series of symbols in front of its name that I can't make out. I'm still working on the language and sorting through the images. There are many millions of them, by the way. This isn't something I'm going to be doing overnight, " said Kettle.

The image zoomed in again through the large ship into the center of the structure. The inside had many hollow areas with blue creatures moving around holding glowing sticks and metal books.

"These are the beings that were tasked with this ship. And if you look below there, you might see something that looks familiar," said Kettle. When Tad didn't see what the little animatron was talking about, a red circle showed up in the lower section hovering over the artifact.

"Oh, so this is from that ship? What is a Phoenix project? And what are those blue things?" asked Tad.

"I'm still trying to sort all of this out. The images your seeing are from the emergency support system just before the Maelstrom hit the ship. I haven't deciphered much of the other crystals yet. The blue creatures are one of the many races of the universal collective. It is printed there on the side of the ship. UC, well, it is not a U and a C, but translated, that's what it means. The artifact wasn't an artifact. It was an emergency backup in case the ship's systems was damaged or destroyed. It contains important backups and copies of things needed to continue the mission. The best I can deduce is the ship was tasked to find new planets. Destroy any living creatures or residents of the said planet. Then reseed it with the new ecosystem from creatures and seeds on the ship, " said Kettle. He paused, waiting for Tad to understand.

"Your telling me this ship killed everything on a planet? And we are in it? Isn't a planet like a whole plane? Kettle, we should get you out of this thing and let the dwarves melt it down, " said Tad. He was trying to stay calm, but everything his friend had just told him made him think his friend was going crazier the longer he was inside.

Kettle sounded panicked, "NO, we can't, Tad. The knowledge would be lost!"

Tad took a deep breath, "Kettle, perhaps it was meant to be lost. If it can destroy a whole planet or plane, I think we should destroy it. "

"It can't do that, Tad. It's the backup system. That grey dust you are sitting in is the biological neurologic controller. It can't destroy anything now. Most of the things needed just do not exist any longer. " said Kettle quickly.

Tad looked around, "A biologi- what? "

"It was a brain, Tad. An artificial brain," said Kettle. "Let me get to the bigger picture so you understand why it can't do any of the things your thinking."

Kettle continued on before Tad could object, "For some reason, the universe created the Maelstrom. It was a magical storm Tad, before that, the universe ran by rules that science could work within. The Maelstrom reset everything, and it became magical. Creatures, all technology, it all changed in an instant. This was more than a half-million years ago, Tad. None of this stuff works any longer. "

"Then how did you change this stool into this chair thing if it doesn't work, Kettle? " asked Tad looking down at the egg-shaped seat.

"That is different. I'll get to that. But it was magic that did that, well, energia. Science ran on something else. The transfer of electrons to … it doesn't matter. They had a different type of system. It can't function now. Even if I found everything needed, I couldn't make that work the way it used to. Only the most basic laws of physics, energy, material, and well everything, remain. Gravity is a basic principle of magnetism, which is why a compass still works, and you are standing here and not floating around the void. It's complicated, and I'm still trying to work it all out. The simplest way I can explain it to you is only magic works now and the rules of magic, " said Kettle. Tad looked in the case, and the little creature's eyes were still flashing, bouncing around on that strand of metal behind the glass.

"That's not glass, Tad. It's an alloy, watch," said Kettle. The glass went dark and looked the same as the metal of the artifact, err ship. It faded back to glass.

"See what I can do. It's part of the control and override system of this pod, " said Kettle. "It still works because of the nature of this metal. "

"Ok, that's the simple stuff. Let's get to the more interesting thing that you need to know about, " continued Kettle.

"WAIT. That was the simple stuff? I have so many questions. Like what happened to those creatures, and what is a backup?" said Tad in a mental huff.

"Oh, yea, sorry. " then the image of the ship started moving as the Maelstrom hit it. The blue creatures fell to the floor and changed, where before they were bipedal, they now looked like giant masses of writhing tentacles then disappeared. All the lights in the ship went out, and it was dark inside.

"Tad, the rest of this is just what I think happened its my best guess, " said Kettle. He continued, the ship vented to space, and the images started to go faster. The ship was pulled towards a green, and blue ball that Tad thought must be a planet.

"That is the planet we are on now, " whispered Kettle. The ship was now on fire as it crashed into the air around the planet, continuing on to collide into an ocean. The ship was huge, and the wave of destruction, water, stone, and force rippled across the surface.

"That was what happened. Now, let's talk about this pod. Its made out of something that is unique in the universe. Do you remember the story of creation and how the gods did this and the cosmos did that? Well, that's not all true. I mean, they all thought it was true, but there is more that predates all of it. I don't 'have any video of this or really any evidence. But I believe the whole system was created in an explosion. The source of that explosion was contained in this metal, well, a lot more of the metal, but this metal contained the components that later became the existance that we know today. All of it was compressed inside a shell of this metal, " said Kettle. He paused, expecting something from Tad for figuring all of this out.

"I don't understand," is all Tad said.

The two kettle eyes behind the glass stopped flashing and angled in a parody of sadness.

"Well, it is super magical or, well, not magical metal. It is both, which is why the dwarves won't be able to melt it and why the void creature couldn't hurt it, " said Kettle sounding as if he had given up trying to explain it.

"If the void creature couldn't hurt the metal, how did he get in then? " Tad raised his right eyebrow at the glass.

"The metal above and below the main entrance is perforated with tiny, tiny holes that let air out. The air went out those tiny holes. When it crashed, the holes were blocked by metal structures that had melted and formed around the pod enclosing it till the dwarves mined that out and exposed them. Originally this pod had positive airflow from another fitting which is closed completely now that it is not attached to a ship. I expect the metal of that bigger ship has some interesting properties also. If you can get me some, I'd like to look at it. " said Kettle waiting for Tad.

"What is positive… " Tad sighed then started again, "It was pushing through tiny holes? I didn't see any holes, Kettle." Tad felt like he was talking to a rambunctious six-year old that had just found the pony ride. His friend was certainly excited, and he didn't sound like he was going to slow down any time soon.

"They are very tiny, Tad. You wouldn't see them without some magical device or giant glass lens. Trust me, they are there. It's how I kept that void creature out so long. Every time the creature made it partially in through those holes, I'd open the door and force it shut using the force of air to blow him back out. It was working till he devoured those orcs and became stronger. I didn't expect that. " said Kettle.

"Ahah," projected Tad loudly. "So it's not my fault I didn't make it in time. Kettle, you're an asshole."

Kettle had bluster in his voice, "Well, you could have come saved me first!"

"You literally said you were doing fine. Get on with your story, " said Tad projecting irritation to the little creature.

"Yea, the ship crashed here and has been buried under the crust of this planet for a half million years. I believe the sand storms slowly broke down this small mountain which was likely ten times this size and solid stone. We can test that theory out when the curse hits us in a few days. Oh, the best part, " said Kettle pausing for effect.

Tad didn't respond this time, waiting.

Kettle had a mental frown, "Well, while I was working on the emergency systems of this pod and connecting to these crystals, something happened I can't explain. A small image popped up in my mind, and a small square blinking image was in the bottom left, green like that Elvin plant green. It was just blinking there. It took me a full day, but I managed to get it to do something after putting all these characters in there. Then the image put another long line of blinking text symbols I'd not seen before, and then it made that box symbol again. It just sat there blinking.

It reminded me of the great mind on Bismuth that all automatrons are born from, so I tried talking to it in symbols. It doesn't talk, Tad. I'm was working with the belief that the line was some sort of denial or error. I put together the language it uses. It's an interface, " said Kettle, who was sure Tad would be impressed now.

Tad knew the little creature was expecting something, "Kettle, I have no idea what all that meant. Was it a painting or a book? " asked Tad.

Kettle projected a huge exaggerated sigh, " Tad… it's a book, fine. Think of it as a book. We can ask it to show things about the universe. When your bigger and smarter, we can ask it more things…." The little eyes behind the glass were banging against the glass slowly and silently.

Tad projected a big smile, "Ok then, we are getting somewhere. Now you can read and write in this book? " Tad was sure it wasn't a book, but he at least could talk about this.

"Some of it I can. There are a lot of symbols I do not understand yet. Well, more than a lot. But after watching you're….. err, uhh,… page, I can reasonably guess at many things I didn't know, and I can learn more now using that. Did you know when you were casting all those heal spells on those dwarves that your total amount of energia increased? Also, your minor healing spell became more powerful? I have also used this information to review all your pages back to your birth… did you know you killed someone at the age of two? You didn't' get a whole lot of skills doing it, so you had help, but you did it, " said Kettle projecting smugness.

"uhhh… what are you talking about? " asked Tad.

"Never mind, we will have to look at all in more detail later. I'm just saying this stuff looks like it can really help us, and that is a good thing. Which is why we can't get rid of this artifact or let it be taken from us, " said Kettle.

Tad thought about this for several minutes. Could Kettle see all that? What is this thing? Perhaps he should find a way to bury it again and forget about it. Should he do that? Is that why Breamas sent him here? What the hell are iterations anyway?

"Kettle, explain what Breamas said, please. What are these iterations he talked about? " asked Tad.

"The err…. Book is attached to the systems that control the universal order or disorder. Everything you know responds to some rules or structure or lack of those, which is itself a rule. Some are understood, some are not known. They are there, though. Iterations are the repeat of something over and over. In Bismuth, they use the term when going through records of residents checking to make sure they are all following the laws. Breamas implied that this system we are in would stop existing if they can't fix something. I guess another Maelstrom or event like that ended all existence or broke the system, forcing it to start over. The information crystals are copies of the pre-maelstrom knowledge. Perhaps the system can do the same thing, make copies then replace the broken one with an older copy. " said Kettle.

"What happens if it just keeps breaking? Do they start over? Is that what Breamas was saying? So this event ends all life in existence? Is this why there are void creatures all over? " asked Tad, he had more questions than answers, and he needed something to keep himself from going insane thinking about all of this.

Kettle was watching his friend now more intently, "Simple answer? Yes. It's probably all related, and Breamas is trying something new in hopes the results will be different. If I were guessing, it's the same thing Samphire was doing without telling anyone when he sent you to find Beothorn and gave you responsibility for the Carnival. Have you figured out what Samphire is yet? It took me a while, but I think I know. " asked Kettle, trying to take his friend's mind off the bigger cosmic thoughts.

"No, I know he is tied to the domains of life and earth. He is powerful. I thought he might be a god of laughter or some variation. How am I to know really. " said Tad.

"You should probably think bigger. Skecan is the god of monkeys, Tad," said Kettle. "Skecan almost groveled at his feet when he saw Samphire."

"The foci god of life? Really? You think he is one of the four? Why would he be running a Carnival Kettle? That's crazy. " said Tad, now wondering and thinking about his childhood.

"Well, if he is not, then he is closely linked to him," projected the automatron.

"Kettle, if that's true, we are in way over our heads," said Tad leaning back against his seat.

One memory kept playing over and over in his mind.

"We gift upon you the Boon of Earth. Learn it well, Thaddius Stonegrip, for your's and our futures may well depend upon how powerful you become," said the chorus of voices.

***