8. The Artifact

"The Artifact"

"Uy, Grimm! Isn't that right? Grimm?!" the naughty language of one of the twins, Cloud.

"Yes, I am. Why?" he wondered.

They have returned home and have completed the ingredients needed for his Kuya Gaunt’s medicine. Duke’ mother is currently doing it. Grimm looked to the other side, Duke broke the bridge he had made so that the evil elements could not get into their place.

"Uy! Are you listening to me?!"

He lost his thought as the boy pulled the hem of his clothes.

"H-Ha? Why?" he asked puzzled.

The two children frowned at him.

"We've been asking you questions before, but you don't answer!" Wind was annoyed.

"What are you asking?"

A wide smile appeared on the children's lips. They dragged him into the vast yard in front of the house.

"Old Duke said, Ice creation is your ability... You made us a giant slide! The huge and spinning! Like what Orphen is doing to us! Or, that big horse with wings and flying! What, can you do that?!" Wind said.

Grimm smiled at the children.

"Ahm... That on the winged horse, I could do it but he did not move. Sir Orphen had not taught me the technique before. But your slide, I'll see if I can do great. What do you want?"

"It's like a roller coaster track we want! And it should be high!" Cloud said.

Grimm took a deep breath. He looked across the yard. Victor's sparring with Duke. It looks like those two are still hanging in the fight. He stared at the children again. They are waiting for what he will do.

"Okay! Go back first and I'll do the slide!"

The twins were excited to retreat. Grimm jumped up and then accumulated strong power over his body. He was surrounded by a thick mist and the area around him was frozen. After a while, he poured out all the power he had accumulated into his hands. He jumped up and then released it all. It rained a lot of snowflakes around and formed a very thick mist... As the mist gradually subsided then a large slide appeared like a roller coaster track. It have a lot around and some clouds are almost there.

"Wow! Orphen is doing higher than that! But it’s okay! I'll be the first!" Cloud.

"I'll be the first!" Wind.

"You chase!" Cloud tease to his twin.

Grimm sat down weakly. He was a little tired at the twins' request. He has not been able to move his ice creations yet. His teacher Orphen will teach him that soon. For now... He just know the basics.

"Child, you did great ah?"

He looked at the speaker and saw Dusty's smiling face and his youngest daughter in his arms.

"Of course not. It's just basic. Sir Orphen hasn't taught me everything yet. I don't have much of his ability yet."

"Hahahaha! I know, but it's great for beginners using ice creation."

"I always practice when I have free time."

"It's good that way." said Dusty.

Meanwhile... Kate looked intently at the man in front of her. Her friend Janna recommended it. The man's hair is a bit messy and he is wearing a white polo shirt with uneven buttons... He is tall and his body is a bit built. He is handsome but he used to be a nerd.

"Miss Blanchart?" aske the man.

"Mister Gray Mist?" she returned.

A wide smile appeared on the young man's lips.

"We are very formal. Well, to make our conversation better... I will introduce myself properly. Orphen Gray Mist. I am Janna's friend. Nice to meet you, Miss Blanchart. And please, just call me on my name Orphen." He held his right hand.

Kate took a deep breath. She looked at his outstretched hand. Moments later, she shook hands.

"Nice to meet you too, Orphen. I'm Katherina Blanchart. But, I refer to call on my nickname Kate. My name is too long. Janna is also my friend and she recommended you to me. Do you know how to read unique ancient markings?"

They let go of each other's hands. They are in the garden of a large museum.

"Yes, I know. It's one of my expertise. So, what do we have?"

"We just came from an exploration. And we have artifacts excavated. Some mummies and jars. In fact, we have not been able to display them in the museum because we are still studying. We have a hard time identifying the jars we got. We do not know what is written in their codexes because those letters are not in the ancient letters we have studied. You are the fifth person we have asked for help with. Hopefully, we will not fail in you."

Orphen thought about the woman's story. He was a little curious.

"I want to see the jars you say."

"Okay, follow me."

Kate had already walked into the museum. Orphen whistled when he saw the artifacts inside. They are neatly lined up and each location has something written about the origins of the artifacts. Very well organized and others are very rare. Types alone in the world.

"Almost everything here has not been written in books but they are part of our rich history. It is amazing how ancient people were even though their technology resources were limited. Their methods are unique because they use nature. Isn't it amazing?" Kate's story was unstoppable.

"You're right."

They went straight to the far end of the museum and passed through the long hallway. In a few moments they reached the enormous room where various types of artifacts had not been displayed. They went where the jars Kate was talking about were. Four are medium size and one is really huge... The jars have marks and below them is a tablet with different markings. Orphen approached the tablet and looked at the notes.

"What? Can you read those?" Kate asked.

"Yes. It is an ancient letter of the shamans to the ancient civilization of the Aztecs."

"What do it says?"

Orphen read the tablet.

"According to this, a cursed warrior is trapped in this jar. He was punished by cruel death because he seduced their queen. He is still in the king's right hand and is trusted. But he became a snake. As a result, a severe death was imposed on him. He was put alive in a large jar full of poisonous snakes. But, the warrior survived the imposed death. Unbeknownst to everyone, he knows black magic.

After four days, he returned to the pit with the corpses he had made disciples. He is in another form, a monster... Half human and half snake. The upper part of his body was human and the bottom was a venomous snake. He killed many people with the armies he had formed. But a group of good shamans fought him. They did not kill him but were able to lock him in a large jar where he was put to death. The bodies of its disciples were in small jars. According to this, these jars should not be dug or removed from their location because they can wake up and sow terror again..."

Orphen rested deeply. He looked seriously at his companion's face. It does not seem to know what mistake it has made.

"Is it written there what the name of the monster you are saying is?" Kate asked.

Orphen shook his head.

"It was not placed. For them, a devil is trapped in that jar and its cursed name should no longer be placed."

Kate nodded.

"I think it would be better if you just put those jars back where you got them. It is written on the tablet that it should not be removed from its place because the creature trapped by the shamans inside that jar can be interrupted and lost." warns Orphen.

A wide smile appeared on Kate's lips. She stared at the man.

"Do you think the monster will come out of the jar?"

"Yes." Orphen answered bluntly.

"Monster in the jar... It was an old ghost story. I don't believe in that anymore." Kate replied smiling.

The corner of Orphen's lip moved. He stared intently at her face. It is white and has long curly hair beyond the waist. She was wearing a brown polo shirt and denim pants close to it. It has a small dimple on the right side of the cheek near the lip.

"Believe in ghost story, Miss Blanchart. Sometimes, they do exist." his language is still meaningful.

Kate was stunned by what the man said and stared at the big jar. She focused her attention there for a long time. Will the monster live inside then? She felt some nervousness but she just ignored it. She has been an archaeologist for a long time and she does not believe in curses or anything supernatural because once in a while, nothing like that has happened. She looked at her companion and saw that he was reading the markings in the big jar. She fake a cough to get its attention. The young man looked at her and smiled.

"Come on, I'll treat you a lunch. You helped me a lot so I will treat you as thank you."

Orphen stared at her for a long time.

"I'm not asking for anything in return for the help I give. But go ahead, I won't refuse. I don't have anyone in the house right now, I'm tired of eating alone."

"Okay! Come on! I know something delicious to eat."

The girl walked first and Orphen just laugh and followed. He looked at his companion who was walking ahead.

"Finally, a woman also invited me. First time..." he smiled.

Meanwhile... Belphegor was startled when Prince Vassago suddenly came rushing, weakening and beating his body... It almost crawled but his demon disciples helped him.

"Woooh... What happened?" he smiled.

Prince Vassago looked at him furiously. It clenched its fists. He put out a weak fire in his right hand and threw it at him but it did not hit him. It just reached his feet.

"That Grimm is so rude! He did this to me! He beat me without a fight with the chain of an exorcist!" Prince Vassago shouted.

Belphegor raised his right eyebrow.

"In that case, he even chose to be an exorcist?! That crazy... Ha ha ha ha ha!"

He laughed even more and Prince Vassago was even more annoyed with him.

"A demon son of one of the Seven Prince of Hell, chosen to be an exorcist? Seriously, that madness of my son is really crazy. He entertained me too much. He did not use his ability on me as an exorcist when we had a family affair! Ay... I feel guilty, I think my youngest still loves me. He didn't fight me much."

Belphegor scratched his cheek.

"Ay! Wrong-mistake! I don't have a conscience but I was just a little touched. How dare him three times a day!"

"You bastard! You just used me to find out Grimm's skill level! How dare you three times a day!"

"Nah, Nah, Nah! That's enough talk there. Be thankful and my son didn't kill you. That boy really inherited from his mother, kindly. Tsk! Just get out! Shoo!" Belphegor yelled.

A foolish smile appeared on Prince Vassago's lips. Insultingly he stared in front of him.

"Grimm didn’t kill me to tell you that the next time you fight... You can taste a strong kick in the ass from him. He said you can not just taste a punch. And I am lucky because I want to see that."