Vernium

Vernium is actually a generic magic enhancer, like how settlium can boost (some) metas with "science-based" powers.

This has gone \~undiscovered because the only source of it is Alfred Settler, and he only maintains contact with magic metas long enough to remove vital body parts, and not all of those will have been receptive to the boost.

When Presto teleported Settler (who was "massive" enough that just trying to shift him a little made Presto feel like his heart was going to explode) it wasn't actually what Presto thought -- he wasn't able to do it because he was willing to die to accomplish it, it was because his powers were suddenly being enhanced by having a chunk of vernium shoved into his guts.

What's keeping Presto alive in space might not be just "feeding" off the vernium per se, or an effect of Chloe's edict, it might be an aspect of his own magic enhanced to 11 because he's mainlining vernium.