Chapter 88 - Whispering Repository

They walked atop the bridge connecting one section of the castle to another, and the cold wind buffeted their faces. The small bridges were in open air, after all. Captain Shinsei stopped and pointed at some tower on the other end of the castle.

His other hand, however, cradled the prettiest cat in existence. Vern only paid bare-minimum attention to Captain's words where he explained about the infirmary and how they didn't have the magic recovery fluid like Asea's believers.

The cat was too pretty, after all. Those green eyes followed Captain's fingers, and Vern took the chance to creep closer.

One step.

Two steps.

Right hand up.

Extend elbow.

Open palm.

And pet—

Mrowr

The kitten growled, puffing up its tiny white and gray fur as it slapped his hand away. Those large green eyes looked at his palm like it was the dirtiest thing in existence, and the fingers of Vern's still outstretched hand slowly curled into themselves.

Captain retracted his palm and petted that cute head. He even had the audacity to look at Vern with pity as he rubbed those shiny whiskers and said, "Come on, Luna, don't be afraid. He's a good friend."

"Ssss," she hissed, swatting a paw in the air.

Vern's shoulders drooped, and his budding smile faded into a thin line. Was she like this because of the first impression he'd made? No. No. No one's going to talk about that.

But he felt some vigor return to himself when he looked back at Lucian, who was two paces away from all of them, a scratch mark on his arm. That's what you get for trying to be forceful. Vern snickered to himself.

Soon, Captain continued on their previous track. Luna accepted all his pets with a lazy yawn as he started, "Now, we're headed towards the most dangerous place in the Vigil," and almost as if reacting to his words, Luna hissed at the other end of the bridge and climbed on Captain's shoulder.

With a mesmerizing jump, she landed on a balustrade. Seeing an opportunity, Vern made his final attempt, but she swerved from under his palm and jumped on the roof of the bridge, growling at him with a "Rrrrraow."

Vern's soul died a little at his n'th failed attempt, but this instead only firmed his determination. He was going to pet Luna one day, no matter what. And she would like it!

Lucian growled back in a beastly tone at the retreating ball of fluffiness and walked up close to both of them. "What a little devil, man!"

Vern glared back at his disgusting outfit and barely stopped himself from going any further. Captain ignored their shenanigans and started again, a little more grave this time, "So, like I said, this is the most dangerous place in the Vigil. Even worse than some of the high-clearance texts in the archive. I'd like both of you to clear your head and prepare your mind."

These words instantly erased any playfulness from Vern's thoughts, and he nodded solemnly. Lucian did the same, and Captain continued, "We have come to call it Whispering Repository, primarily because the combined effect of all the anomalous perceptual artifacts stored in there is just like the Whispers we perceive during our Insight Sifting sessions."

Vern caught a couple keywords, 'Anomalous Perceptual artifacts,' and 'Insight Sifting sessions.' Former seemed to suggest that something was wrong with the Perceptual artifacts in the questions—items like Captain's scarf or Esther's mother's gauntlets.

The latter, on the other hand, was quite a peculiar term. It hinted at some form of meditative process where one just sat and sorted through their Insights.

Was that how one progressed their Viewpoints? By analyzing and introspecting the existing Insights? That sounded very intriguing and…right. Though he would first read up on it in Vena's archive when he had a chance.

But Captain also mentioned that it was possible to encounter the Whispers in this process. That didn't sound safe.

He wanted to ask about it, but he didn't want to tout his lack of understanding when all of it could be solved by simply reading up on it later. So, he instead asked something that wasn't personal.

"Captain, what exactly are these 'anomalous perceptual artifacts?'"

He nodded, "Good question, my friend. Anomalous, just like in our language, is a vague word we use to describe effects that are out of the norm."

"Can you give us some examples?" asked Vern without a delay.

Captain slowed down and pondered his words for quite a while before replying, "I will give you examples, my friend. But, I have a suggestion for you," then he glanced back at Vern and said, "Understand that knowing too much is never a good idea. Especially not about things we don't comprehend."

Vern was a little taken aback, not expecting to hear the same words that Cera had told him before they entered Steamscript Relay Station.

Captain continued in his grave tone, "Their very knowledge can pollute your Thought Space and invite the attention of beings your perception can't handle. You must have felt it when Akira threw you into pure subjectivity, right? Things beyond our understanding are always watching us—waiting, hoping, and expecting us to recognize them."

"The simple act of accepting their existence makes them a bigger part of our reality, affirming their place in Objectivity. Usually, it won't matter because they can't steal your Representation because your Viewpoint is simply more potent than theirs, but what if it's not?"

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Every word sent a chill down Vern's spine, and he realized he had indeed gotten a little hasty in his approach. The lack of new knowledge in the past five days had made him a little restless, maybe causing him to undermine the risks of delving into mysteries surrounding this whole world of Observation.

Taking Captain's words to heart, he replied, "Yes, sir. Do you have any guidelines on when to pry further and when to stop?"

Vern's question sent the Captain deep in thought, and he only replied when they were almost at the door of their destination at the other end of the bridge.

Captain said, "That's a good attitude, my friend. However, I might not be the best person to answer this question, so take my following advice with a grain of salt. I judge my questions based on whether they serve a purpose beyond mere curiosity."

Vern knitted his brows, trying to understand the point when Captain elaborated, pushing open the door of the corridor, "Ask yourself: 'Does the answer aid in my duties or the safety of others? Does it contribute to a deeper understanding that's crucial for my growth as an Observer?' If the answer is 'yes,' proceed with caution; if it's a 'no,' then perhaps it's a path best left untraveled."

He paused before adding, "In our line of work, curiosity isn't just about seeking knowledge; it's about balancing the risk and reward. The allure of the unknown is powerful, but so are the dangers that lurk within."

They passed by an array of ordinary guards into the only corridor as they reached what looked like a platform for the elevator. Captain Shinsei gave Vern and Lucian a meaningful look and said, "Above all, trust your instincts and viewpoint. They are your best guides in navigating the murky waters of the unknown. And when in doubt, seek counsel from those more experienced. We're a team here, and none of us is alone in facing the mysteries of this world."

Vern nodded solemnly, "Thank you, Captain. I'll keep that in mind," he said before focusing on internalizing the advice. It wasn't exactly in line with his general style of doing things, but this was the beauty of being in the company of accomplished individuals who had diverse mindsets and ideologies.

They didn't try to mold their words to please you and instead provide a fresh perspective. He valued such words greatly. He wasn't planning on integrating all contrasting ideas, but it gave him a broader perspective on what was closer to the right approach.

They allowed him to tweak his own internal balance subtly towards the correct side of the spectrum. In this case, he concluded that risks should only be taken when it clearly benefitted him in some way. In other circumstances, he'd have to tone down his curiosity a little.

However, before he could ponder this for too long, the sound of clattering chains resonated in his ears, and he looked up. Another lamp-like elevator stopped in front of them, and all of them boarded it without much fanfare. When the gate clicked shut, it automatically began its screeching descent.

Captain reminded them again, "Clear head."

Vern dismissed his wandering thoughts and focused.

Then, Captain started again as the elevator continued its descent, "You asked for examples, right? Let me tell you about a couple that should be harmless for your cognition. There's this goblet we found in an abandoned church which refills itself with the blood of nearby people."

Lucian asked, his brows furrowed, "How? Does it puncture a hole into its holder or something?"

Captain shook his head, "No. Anyone in the vicinity will suddenly turn pale and feel weak—almost as if they lost some blood."

Vern asked, "So if one doesn't empty it, it's pretty much harmless?"

Captain smiled wryly, "Only if it was that simple. It compels those in its surroundings to drink it."

A shiver crept up his spine at the thought. What if one was left alone with this goblet? Would they drink their own blood? Until when? The idea alone was disturbing.

"Then would we also feel that urge when we get close to it in a minute?"

"You would if it weren't for the tireless efforts of other Observers who built this repository. They have turned it into something akin to a vault where the effects of these artifacts are suppressed. The only problem, however, is that there's no automatic way to quell the objectivity pollution that they emit."

"So someone has to be down there all the time, resisting the assault of those whispers to manually suppress the pollution?" asked Lucian, surprising Vern with his fluent use of the vocabulary.

Captain nodded.

"Anyways, another one I can tell you about is the Lute of Gremwick, a famous artifact from a village with the same name to the east. It used to be known for helping children sleep, but ever since Duskfall, it has…changed. Its melody now also causes anyone that's asleep to…gouge out their own eyes. And it plays on its own."

Both Vern and Lucian stared at Captain Shinsei with a hint of fear in their eyes, and the swordsman continued, "And that's just the start. There are a lot more of those in there that have terrible consequences that can't even compare to this. So it's important we keep them hidden away down there."

CLANK

With a loud rumble, the elevator came to a halt, and they deboarded gingerly. Walking in the dim corridor, they quickly reached a giant metallic door made with mechanical arts Vern hadn't really seen before. It was a few notches above in terms of security and complexity than even what his Master back in Nvoria had in his residence.

Captain knocked thrice at the door and extended the necklace towards the peephole.

After a dozen seconds, the metallic latches opened up, all the gears moving in great harmony. Vern pondered if it made sense to use these doors given the very unique abilities of Observers, but who was he to tell them what was right and what wasn't?

For all he knew, these doors might have been reinforced using some kind of Vision, making them resistant to Observation. So, he did a quick test by trying to perceive the door from his perspective, which was, indeed, elusive to his perception.

More assured in Vigil's methods, he let it be and cleared his mind. Before the doors even opened, something he hadn't heard for a while greeted him in full force,

"Nexarionth zulmestra gyrinthol exaraphon teryxial"

Vern's heart slowed down, and he recalled his previous encounters with the whispers. None of them were pretty.

"Vorinthex quillarion phloxenthras umbraxio zentharim"

But things had changed. He had advanced as an Observer, and these whispers were…different. They were…lesser than the actual thing if that made sense. They weren't the all-consuming and self-destructive kind he heard in his head before.

"Cryomorphix lyranthor voximyth quintalos vermoran"

Taking a deep breath, he walked in alongside Captain. The room inside was dimly lit by gas lamps, their glow illuminating the dancing motes of dust and the large circular table at the heart of the room.

But in this dim ambiance, at the far end of the room, stood another door. Heavy chains jutting out from either end encased it while various different patterns subtly glowed on its surface. Vern's heart thumped louder, simply looking in that direction.

It had a magnetic pull to itself, and Vern had to grit his teeth to wrench his eyes away from that door. The whispers seemed to grow louder, and a prickling sensation arose from all over his body.

"You're early today," came a new voice, and Vern snapped back towards the source, feeling more than a little jittery. A man stood next to the door they entered from, a unique hat perched atop his head. It was elongated length-wise but was quite slim otherwise, its tip almost hiding the book that the man held in his fingers.

Captain nodded, "Yes, Cedric. I wanted to get these new friends introduced to the Whispering Repository as soon as possible."

Cedric put away his book and asked with interest, "Ohh, these the kids we hired today? Does that mean I will finally not have to stay here alone in this hellhole for four days a week?"

Captain chuckled, "Hopefully. We need more people here, anyway. The more artifacts we put in there, the worse it gets."

Cedric nodded, his face hiding behind the shadow of his elongated hat. Then, he asked, "So, they're gonna guard here with you today?"

"Oh, no. They've got to be in the training ground in about twenty minutes. I brought them here because I'd rather not make the walk alone, and it's better to be accustomed to this place sooner than later."

Cedric nodded, "Fair enough. So, can I go?"

"In a minute. Take them back up with you and direct them to the training grounds. Allow them a few minutes to get acclimated to the whispers."

"Sure," shrugged Cedric before flipping the page of his book and ignoring all of them.