It was getting dark outside, and Darrick was in the lab right now ready to make another try at artifact making. The last one was a dud but the process didn't go as well as he hoped it would from the start, although it was it was his first artifact and failure was always an option even for a master.

Just because one failed doesn't mean the second would also fail so he was trying to make something and it was not some torch this time. He had made his own blueprint this time for his cause. It was nothing crazy but he wanted to make a simple Taser.

He wanted to try it out just by imagining how it works with its basic principles. He already had most of the materials used in artifact crafting and even if the materials fell short he could just modify the closest material in function to use as a replacement.

Maybe because it was already late at night, today too no one was here, even though Darrick was happy that nobody was here he was also sad that nobody was making use of such advanced facilities without accounting reason why no one was here with his biased view of the situation.

For this taser project, he took out the materials he thought he would need from his inventory. Like most electronic devices the taser also had to have a battery so mithril, silver for the wires and connections, some aluminium for electrodes and some plastic polymers for multiple purposes like casing etcetera.

Plastic is pretty expensive, more than what I expected, that's all. Do they charge more because you need alchemists to process it unlike other metals found deep in the ground? Also, these things can't really be called plastic, they are clearly magical and molding them to desired shape can be done by literally anyone. This was the most important thing I needed after all and I didn't even realize it till now.

Before the process started Darrick checked the materials with one last identify, he had already identified all the materials he bought the night of when he purchased it. Now it was only a quick check to see if everything was alright.

"Identify"

Mithril:

Grade 2 High

Mithril is one of the best metals to store up mana, used in power sources of the artifacts.

Silver:

Grade 2 Average

One of the best mana conductors to ever exist.

Aluminium:

Grade 3 Highest

A good mana conductor.

Plastic(s)

Grade 3 Low

Plastic does not even get any introduction, hehe.

The identify function had changed a bit after the vision he saw at that time, now it was showing the grades of the identified materials. It wasn't much in a direct sense but indicated that the system could grow, evolve and also adapt to the host.

With that out of his mind, Darrick started the process of artifact creation, unlike last time he had bigger plans this time. He wanted to take over the process halfway through and make it in his own way. He would have done that from the start if only he was good enough to do so and he knew he wasn't ready yet.

The parts are not in desirable form.

The host does not have the capability to create the components independently. System assistance is offered.

Yes/No?

"Yes"

The process kickstarted, the materials were floating by the telekinesis, they were being melted by the white flames spontaneously appearing over the material and were being molded to be the parts they were supposed to be. The problem was without the blueprint it was not going so well. It felt like there was a disconnection between them.

Darrick was able to make a mental image of how his artifact should but it was not stable enough, therefore the core was also not stable. It was doing its best to adjust its shape and form to facilitate the commands coming its way but unfortunately, Darrick was not doing that good of a job giving mental commands to an artifact-in-making.

All of the pieces took the intended form but patterning them was quite a hassle. Once Darrick was thinking of mana flowing from the inside the wires and a second later he would think about how the wires worked the last time he tried, they were flowing outside the wires in the patterns and those thoughts were contradictory to how it should work.

Even with all these complications, he was trudging through one after another complications. With every new component being made his thoughts became clearer and the core was stabilizing with it. He wanted to connect with it now to take control of the process but whenever he tried to exert his influence on it the core started destabilizing.

For one last time, Darrick extended his influence, there appeared the blob of light. He couldn't retract his influence fast enough and he was sucked inside and he was back in the empty space. Again.

***

No way, not again!

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He was in that empty place once again. Both times he was here because he was making an artifact.

Do I have to come here every time I make a new artifact? That's just inconvenient, what if I was in ME class and I was sucked here? I don't even know if I become unconscious or just teleport here. I have to do something about it.

He walked forward and the six doors appeared in front of him, unlike last time he wasn't dazed by them now, he stood firmly in front of them. Except for Creation, no other door was trying to communicate. He did not want to hesitate to do everything, sometimes things should flow naturally so Darrick naturally placed his hands on the door.

There were no grand illusions or great visions, the door just opened. The door led to a 'place', the darker place. The 'place' was stretched to no end, it was the same darkness as the last place but thicker. Darrick peeked his head out to check what was on the other side of the door, just straight ahead in front of him there was a massive round table. The colour of the table was indescribable, there was something, a colour of sorts but no matter how much he squinted or rubbed his eyes to see it was not something he could describe.

There were six chairs placed around the round table, the distance between them looked equal if only Darrick had something he could measure with. The six chairs were placed exactly in front of the six doors, the same doors that he saw in the last place. There was around a meter distance between the door and the chair, and Darrick felt compelled to sit on the chair.

He stepped through the door, the floor was different. It was a dark mist, he was not walking on a solid floor but he still had stable footing. The dark mist was reaching up to his knees and brushing past him as he walked. He was behind the chair in just a few steps.

It was just a simple chair, as simple as it could get. There were no designs or any patterns on it. It was also made of unknown material, it was solid but there wasn't any material like this in Waylen's smithy and was definitely not made of wood, he tried identifying it but his power did not work.

Darrick's powers were not working but there was not even a skip in his heartbeat. no change in emotions either. He sat on the chair, something lit up in front of him. In the middle of the round table, there was a book floating just one meter above. Its features are mostly hidden by the chains that bound it. The book was barely visible, it was surrounded by chains and rays of light were barely squeezing out of the gaps in chain binding and illuminating the table.

He stretched his hands out to touch the book, and just then one of the doors opened. It was the green door, the door of time. A female silhouette stepped out of the door, there was no face or any other body features to the silhouette that was uniquely distinct from a typical female body. She walked to her chair and sat on it quietly. Darrick's heart was still calm despite the current situation.

Then two more doors opened, the red door and the purple door. Both beings that stepped out of space and death doors were male or that was what their silhouette indicated. They also came forward and sat on their respective seats. Darrick assumed they would talk after the other two beings of the remaining doors entered so he waited with his mouth shut.

"Those two seats will be empty today. No need to wait for anyone, let us start the ceremony." The silhouette of death said and the other two nodded.

"Where am I? And what kind of ceremony is this?" Darrick's mind was crystal clear, he did not feel any confusion or any other emotions. He asked the most common question anyone would ask in this place.

" This is the Archive. As the newest member of the archive, you are given a chance to gaze upon the truths of the world. Even if you can't see anything, you will gain something. All you have to do is place your hands on the 'remnant of the beginning'." Said the death as he pointed towards the book in the middle and space continued the explanation.

"Of course, you can refuse if you want but is that what you want to do? Just think about how having some additional aid helps you in your future or you can also think about how it would harm you." after space the time picked up the conversation.

"You have ten minutes to think about and if you decided against it you can walk out to where you came from and if you decided to go with it then you just have to place your hand on it and you will gain what you deserve."

Even before these beings arrived here Darrick had already decided to see what it was and now that he was informed about the benefit it gives without any drawbacks, it was just cherry on top. There wasn't much to think about and Darrick didn't want to act like he was thinking a lot so he just straight out extended his hand for the book.

"Good, you've made a very good decision. Now you may commence." said death. The three commenters, spectators or whatever else they were, just stared blankly at him but there were no emotions in those stares so he did not feel the usual discomfort but a different one.

Darrick's hand touched the book's cover, the chains on it made space for him to have direct contact with its surface. The book cackled with energy around it. Darrick's hand was burning but the book was telling him to hold on for a little longer, and he complied with it.

His mind went blank like there was nothing on his mind. He forgot everything for a moment his home, his family, his origins and himself but it didn't stay like that for long, thousands of threads were cut off around him that were latching on to his very own being and Darrick's mind became clearer. Something was pushing back whatever was trying to swallow him and in the next second, both of the pressures disappeared, he did not feel both powers that were trying to assert their dominance over him in the vicinity.

Suddenly he pulled his hand back, everything was back to normal. There was no trace of whatever happened, he inferred it to have happened somewhere else. He raised his head and saw the three silhouettes not staring at him anymore.

The time got up and left without a single word, she did not even slow down and disappeared. Then the space got up he slowly muttered under his breath,

"Fucking rat"

But Death did not get up and started conversing, "That guy must really hate you, huh." and Darrick was lost for word with that random comment.

What am I supposed to say? Do I need to answer it or was that just a rhetorical question? haa..

"She also must hate me with that line of reasoning?"

"No! That child just doesn't care enough about anything to waste her time at a place where it is not needed. She is very serious about her duties, too serious if I have to say. Leaving that aside what did you get?"

There was silence, Darrick did not refuse to answer but didn't open his mouth to answer either. The silence was speaking for itself and death could hear it.

"It's good that you don't trust someone so easily, be cautious otherwise you won't survive long enough for us to meet again. See you when the time is right for it." Death left with that.

Darrick just stared at nothingness for a few seconds, currently his mind was too clear so he shook off whatever just happened in a few seconds of contemplation and got down to the good part of this event.

I did not expect it to go like this, the profile problem is partially solved for now. I have access to the profile in such a tight condition but it's still better than nothing.

"System, show my profile."