Chapter 76

Grimsor stood up. “The Alymcyte has a very high melting point and cools very quickly. What you are seeing is Alymcyte melting and cooling very rapidly.”

“What? How? Why?” asked Semore.

“I don’t know,” Grimsor replied. “None of it makes sense.”

“So why are the men running from the mine?”

“They are afraid of it. One man was badly burned when he put his hand in and then it was stuck when he tried to pull it out. The men think there are demons in the mine.”

“Ridiculous! I need them to get back to work! Now!”

“That’s easier said than done,” Grimsor replied. “They are terrified. They need an explanation.”

“What do you think is causing it?”

“I think we have opened up a fissure beneath the Alymcyte and that magma is now closer to the surface than we think.”

“Impossible!” retorted Semore. “The volcano is dormant. It’s sealed tighter than my grandmother’s grave!”

“Yes but all the blasting could have opened a crack and brought magma to the surface. What I think is happening here is that