The white beam of moonlight descended through the vertical shaft in the ceiling. It struck the center of the celestial rock with a physical force that made the obsidian floor vibrate. The silver and blue meteorite began to glow with a blinding intensity. Li Mei felt the hair on her arms stand up as the static electricity in the chamber increased. She used her Golden Finger to monitor the shifting chemical state of the room. She identified the scent of ionized oxygen, hot copper, and the bitter almond smell of concentrated arsenic vapor.
The Shadow Priest stood on the far side of the meteorite. He raised his basalt staff toward the ceiling. The purple crystal on the staff was vibrating in harmony with the celestial rock. He was no longer a man but a vessel for the supernatural power of the silver star.
"The resonance is reaching the point of no return," the Shadow Priest shouted. "When the shell of this stone breaks, the era of humans will end and the era of the lunar gods will begin."
Prince Zhao moved forward with invincible strength. He did not use a sword. He used his hands which were now covered in a silver aura. This was the peak of his Silver Blessing. He lunged at the Shadow Priest, but an invisible wall of energy threw him back across the stone floor. The impact was loud. Zhao stood up immediately. His obsidian eyes were glowing with a white light that matched the meteorite.
"You cannot stop the celestial harmony with physical force, Zhao," the Priest said.
Li Mei opened her medical kit. She realized that the Shadow Priest was right about the resonance. She had to use her rationality and responsibility to find an alchemical solution. She looked at the bronze pipes that were feeding the arsenic mixture into the stone. She calculated the rate of energy absorption. To stabilize the stone, she needed to create a counter-frequency. She thought of the physical relationship between the mass of the stone, the energy of the moonlight, and the chemical catalyst.
"The arsenic is the key to the vibration!" Mei called out to Zhao. "If we neutralize the liquid in the vats, the resonance will collapse. The stone will not shatter because it will lose its internal pressure."
Zhao understood the mission. He did not try to hit the Priest again. Instead, he focused his energy on the bronze pipes. He used his strength to rip the pipes away from the base of the meteorite. The dark purple liquid began to spill onto the floor. The Shadow Priest screamed in anger. He pointed his staff at Li Mei. A bolt of purple light flew toward her.
"Destroy the alchemist!" the Priest cried.
Zhao moved with great speed. He blocked the light with his own body. He did not fall. He used the Silver Blessing to absorb the energy. This was a moment of mutual trust and assistance among companions. He provided the defense while Mei provided the solution.
Mei took two large jars of the neutralizing compound from her kit. This was the same peppermint and ginger based liquid she had refined in Chang'an. She poured the medicine directly into the open stone vats.
As the medicine mixed with the arsenic, the scent in the room changed. The bitter smell of almonds was replaced by a sharp, cooling aroma of mint and earth. The blue light in the meteorite began to fade. The vibrating sound changed from a high scream to a low hum. The white beam of moonlight no longer caused the stone to glow.
"The frequency is falling," Mei said. She watched as the cracks in the meteorite began to close.
The Shadow Priest fell to his knees. His basalt staff cracked into two pieces. The purple crystal turned into gray dust. Without the arsenic catalyst, he could no longer control the celestial energy. He looked at his hands. They were turning into the same gray mineral as the dead monks.
"The god... the god has abandoned me," the Priest whispered.
Zhao stepped toward the Priest. He did not show vengeance. He showed the steady personality of a leader. He looked at the man who had caused the apocalypse.
"The god was only a stone," Zhao said. "And you were only a man who forgot his human nature."
The Shadow Priest dissolved into a pile of ash. The chamber became silent. The celestial rock returned to its sleeping state. It was still a source of power, but it was no longer a bomb. Li Mei sat on the floor and breathed the cold, minty air. She felt a great sense of achievement. They had stopped the end of the world in the heart of the mountains.