I'm not too old to be surprised. [ Nor was he even too full of knowledge and experience. Really, he was just too tired. Still, if anyone here were to know that, it would be Caster, or possibly Emet-Selch. They had shared minds, even if only briefly.

He watched as Caster twisted a wire and the crystal grew more brightly. He wasn't a fan of crystals, by and large, but to complain about them in a place so stock full as Planet Prismatica would be an exercise in misery. It was fitting, however, to see a piece of magitek surrounded by the things. He even allowed a wry smile. ]

Oh, very good. Yes, there is a will there, to an extent. [ He didn't mind throwing him that bone. It was fairly deduced. ] Not much of one, but there's a base instinct for survival there. [ The MT Troopers that had been programmed to self destruct could only have done so if the Scourge within didn't use even that as a chance to propagate. Ardyn's wry smile deepened, disgusted by the thing that was a part of him, and that he was a part of. ]

The particles are photophobic, as you likely deduced from the 'strange reaction'. They'll function under bright, artificial lighting, but they don't much care for the sun. [ He cocked his head at him, the twist to his lips darkly amused now. ] Something to keep in mind for your reasoning, I'm sure.