A single flower, small enough to fit in a hand, can hold as much energy as a small controlled nuclear fission. It grows in one place only: the volcanic slopes of Vetustus. It is called Volcanite, and the whole Helios System runs on it.

A flower that fell from the stars

Metropolis scientists believe its ancestors reached Vetustus on meteorites, ages ago, and survived only in the volcanic zones of the Island of the Elements. Its roots sink hundreds of meters into the subsoil and draw up geothermal heat. In the female plants, the petals slowly crystallize and lock that energy inside. At night, mature flowers glow. Every attempt to grow Volcanite anywhere else has failed.

Fuel for dragons

A dragon of Vetustus that eats Volcanite feeds it straight to Electraxis, the particle that runs through its body. The effect is immediate: plasma at extreme temperatures, supersonic flight, electromagnetic pulses. A small dose gives a boost. A large one can push even the oldest dragons out of control. In Queen dragons, Volcanite is the only substance that triggers reproduction. For a human, swallowing it is poison.

The light of Metropolis

Metropolis learned to tame it. In the Spheres, an electromagnetic field tuned to the crystal’s own frequency drains the flower slowly instead of letting it explode. The energy flows into the grid, and the spent cores become building material. To get the flowers, the Space Fleet sends its Rangers on missions that can last more than a year. Some Vetustians have learned to trade Volcanite for Metropolis weapons, and the ruling families watch that trade closely.

Formation, physical properties and the full extraction process are in the complete entry.