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Blood pooled from underneath the now cooling body. Magni stared down at it blankly as he regarded the corpse at his feet. “You weren’t meant to find out about this.” Magni muttered as he stepped over the dead body of Noir Vesper. A magmite scrambled around the floor as he walked down the corridor.
“Damn it…”
It all started on that sunny, perfect day. Altare had sent Magni and Vesper out on this mission together to a nearby village. Their mission was to help solve the village’s ghost issue, as the undead spirits had begun to terrorize the villagers. The reason Magni and Vesper were sent on this mission together alone was because Altare was busy with a different mission with Axel.
The mission started out as it normally did. They went to the village and separated to do their different duties. Vesper left for the village’s recordkeeper while Magni spoke with the village head. The two then reunited at the tavern to put all of their collected information together.
It went wrong after that. Magni could still remember the broken screams from Vesper as spirits and demons ravaged his body. The alchemist barely escaped from the mess himself, vanquishing the spirits with a potion he had brewed just that night. When he returned to the guild hall that night, he placed a fake smile on his face and told his leader and friends that Veper had decided to stay behind for a bit to make sure the ghosts were really gone.
But in his grief and unwillingness to accept the truth, Magni Dezmond committed one of the greatest alchemical taboos. Locking himself away in his lab for nights Magni worked, fueled by desperation to see his friend again. He would not allow himself to relive the sins of his past.
Thus, creating what lay before him now.
Rows upon rows of jars filled the dimly lit room. Inside each and every jar in this area was a small Vesper Noir. The next section of jars contained many Regis Altares. Then, there was the Axel Syrios section. Each and every clone was handcrafted by Magni, to ensure that the mistake could not happen again.
Magni glanced down as another magmite scuttled by his feet. After watching it for a few brief moments, he stepped on it. Purple goo flowed out of the squishy corpse as Magni kicked it away.
“Disgusting.” He muttered quietly. The skeletal arms attached to his back then moved to grab one of the Vesper jars. This is why he kept the Vesper jars up front. He knew Vesper’s undying curiosity would always lead him down here. It felt like every few weeks or so Magni was replacing Vesper with a different one. In his eyes, none could measure up to the real one, who’s body lay in a glass coffin deeper within Magni’s lab. Frozen in time, looking as if he were just asleep. Potions used to make sure his body stayed intact.
“Magni? You down here?” A voice called from above. Magni quickly turned around to face the entrance to his lab. Thankfully, Axel didn’t go farther than the entrance so the corpse was still hidden in the darkness.
“Yeah, what’s up?” Magni called back as he placed the jar back down. He carefully walked towards the entrance to his lab, looking up the long steps to see Axel leaning against the doorway.
“Altare wanted me to tell you that we’re heading out soon. We got a request to clear out some old temple that’s been recently dug out.” He straightened up and turned to leave. “Ah, before I forget, can you tell Vesper? I haven’t been able to find him, so I figured he was with you.” Axel shot him one final grin before walking off.
Magni just stared at the empty doorway. Listening as Axel’s heavy footsteps grew softer and further away.
“Hey Vesper, did you hear that?” He looked down at the cold corpse, “We’re going on an adventure.”