20 Forging Artifacts (2/2)
”That's very kind of you, sire.” Garett gladly picked up the books offered by the old Keeper.
Most knowledge was in the hands of big churches and other large organizations. While the best place to go look for knowledge on such subjects was the College, Garett felt he wouldn't receive a warm welcome there.
So I could only look for something in the old deposit room. But who knew it would be so simple as to just ask! I can research these things in the open, as long as I don't reveal my abilities and continue to pose as an aspiring artisan... Garett nodded to himself in elation, one of his most pressing problems was the lack of knowledge to strengthen his powers capabilities.
”Since you are here, you can help me with a little experiment.” The keeper suddenly voiced, eliciting Garett to raise his eyebrows.
”Y-Yes, sir.” He stammered a response, flashes of the things Alice said passing through his head.
Alice said this old man is known as an eccentric, with all kinds of weird experiments and a difficult personality... He felt his luck was changing for the worse after having things going his way for so long. First, it was the sudden assignment that probably wasn't so simple as it looked, and now, the old keeper suddenly wanted his help in one of his weird experiments!
”No need to be nervous, it can even help you in your upcoming assignment.” The Keeper spat at his apprehension, his eyes staring in disapproval.
”You already know about my assignment, sir?” Garett was surprised, as the elder rarely cared about the external affairs of the hunters. His status as a retired veteran was well known, and he made sure to let everyone know he didn't want anything to do with the frontlines ever again.
”Of course, the young boy Dante came here and asked me to prepare something for you.” The senior hunter pointed to an ornamented box placed on one of the tables, Garett could remember this box, as it was the container used to hold the mystery lens used during the investigation at his apartment.
”You should already be familiar with those, and they should help you during your mission.” He said after noticing Garett's expression. ”And the experiment I'm holding today is also related to your little adventure.”
”My little adventure?” Garett felt confused; suspicion starting to build within him. Dante had personally commissioned the old Keeper to help him during his first assignment! It was very uncommon for a recruit to walk around with one artifact, not to mention something personally crafted by the Keeper!
”Yes, and it would also be a good opportunity for you to watch the creation process of some... gadgets.” The elder complemented while showing his yellowed teeth in a crooked smile.
Nonetheless, even with chills climbing Garett's spine, he followed the senior hunter.
The rows of bookshelves eventually made way to an open area at the back, and only a single, small door occupied the walls made from blackish stone.
”It's here.” The elder said while carefully unlocking the door, at least three different locks prevented the door from being opened. ”Be careful with your head.”
The Keeper then entered the now open door, entering a crampy room with dim illumination and two tables occupying the middle. A multitude of shelves with all the more different objects adorned the walls,
Are all those artifacts? There should be at least a hundred in here! Were all these crafted by him? He sure has free time... Garett was amazed by the grand collection before his eyes, every single one of those was a mystic item! He could almost feel the energy radiating from them entering through his pores and invading his body!
”Y-you designed all those?” Garett stammered, his breathing somewhat heavy from the humongous pressure emitted by the items.
”Oh? Most of them, yes. Some are special items that the church obtained as spoils of war and gave to me for safekeeping.” The elder nodded, pride evident in his voice as he nodded in satisfaction. ”But your focus should be on the things on the tables.”
Garett's eyes instantly jumped to the objects mentioned, one of them being a small clock with an ivory exterior, his surface shining as it reflected the dim light emitted by the gas lamps on the walls.
The other one was covered with a veil and had a corpulent mass, the smell it radiated attested it as the source of the heavy formalin smell.
Is it a body? Why is there a body in here? Is this how one creates artifacts? The captain said the mystery lenses were created using the eye of a deceased clergyman, and that his abilities were related to seeing energy. Is that a hunter's body? It could also be the body of a mutant... Garett felt weirdly excited at the prospect of observing the creation process of an artifact, this would help him greatly in the future! Maybe he could even materialize an artifact if he understood it well enough!
”Is that a...?” Garett mustered the courage to ask, his eyes not leaving the great mass that laid upon the table.
”A mutant body, yes.” The old man said while smiling. It was as if he was a little kid looking at a shiny new toy. ”This will be used as a base for a new artifact, the idea is to create a watch that can be used in conjunction with the mystery lenses.”
”Used in conjunction?”
”Yes!” The elder exclaimed excitedly. ”We aim to create a clock that can lock the energy of the past into place, making it easier to see what transpired in one place with those lenses!”