Exchange

The five Ember Clerics strolled through the port, making sure to avoid the areas which were densely populated and flowing with civilians. Due to the rain or personal urgency, none of the civilians seemed to notice these clergymen, as they effectively used the shadows surrounding the port to mask their appearance.

One look, and it would be pretty obvious that they were used to these types of stealth operations.

Upon reaching an intersection at the end of the port's walkway, the Clerics veered into an abandoned, dark alley, totally devoid of any signs of life. A few passersby cast curious glances as the group of five individuals turned into the dimly lit alleyway, but they quickly scurried off on their way as the rain picked up in intensity.

The group continued to stroll through the alleyway in total silence, seemingly unaffected by the heavy downpour, the mysterious box casting a subtle eerie glow in the dark and dim environment.

After covering some distance, one of the Clerics positioned at the back warily glanced at the box, saying to their leader in a hushed voice, "Father Vicar, do we know when they are going to arrive? This box is honestly giving me the creeps."

One of the group members at his side shot an annoyed glance at him and seemed to be about to reprimand him when the calm and hoarse voice of the leading figure sounded out.

"They are here."

At the mention of this, the image of five figures dressed in almost all-black formal attire came into view at the front end of the alleyway. They donned black double-breasted suits, trousers, shirts, and silk ties, with only a gray overcoat and featureless masks breaking the monochrome palette.

On closer inspection, a badge could be seen at the pocket area of the coat, characterized by a grey gate encircled by numerous obsidian brass chains at its center. The words 'DSS' were boldly plastered above the gate, with the words 'Containment and Control' serving as its bottom line.

They were the Carriers of the Division of Supernatural Studies, Containment, and Control!

They stood in a row, maintaining perfect silence as they watched the group of Clerics walk toward them with a steady pace. As the Clerics got close enough to the group, Father Vicar walked forward and approached the Carrier who was standing at the front of the row.

"2nine?" Father Vicar asked, his gaze settling upon the person he assumed to be the group's leader. He couldn't help but take in the image of the coordinated and organized group of Carriers as he mused inwardly,

'I wish the members of our clergy were this organized…'

The Prye Church is a Church that primarily serves The First Inferno, a deity who reigns over war, destruction, and arson, and as such, see their clergymen develop erratic and impulsive personalities. The doctrines of the church further emphasize free will and expression which is why, unless on important official duties such as this, Ember Clerics hardly maintain orderliness and decorum unless during mass and worship.

The person referred to as 2nine by Father Vicar studied him in brief silence, making Father Vicar get slightly uncomfortable. Before the silence got choking, however, 2nine let his gaze drift over the intricate brass box as he slightly nodded, signifying that Father Vicar was correct. He then calmly accepted a paper file from one of his subordinates.

"Vicar Koch, Apostolic Priest, Ember Cleric of the Prye Church?"

As the smooth and clear voice of 2nine rang out, Father Vicar heaved a sigh of relief, responding in a compact manner. "Yes, that is me. I'm the Leader of the Team of Clerics responsible for handing over Oddity - 999 - IV with the code name 'Pandora's Box'.

"If possible, we'd like to complete the handover as soon as possible, as we have to catch the returning ship back to Bier."

Bier was a major landmark city in the Kingdom of Berlin which was widely known for its unconventional marine traditional rites and rituals. Almost 200 years ago, in the current New Testament Calendar, a native of the city claimed to have had a chanced encounter with an enormous and powerful sea serpent which saved him from chaotic waves that were about to collide with his ship while he was out on his regular fishing expedition.

From that point onwards, the man had come to revere this strange creature, causing him to be the founder of a new religious practice totally devoted to worshiping this serpent. The religious practice had flourished over the years and most of the natives of Bier came to accept the belief in this creature, causing it to be the most prominent religion in the region.

For some reason, the royal family and aristocrats of the Kingdom didn't prevent the spread of this newfound belief system, as they believed that since they hadn't caused any harm or damage with their practice, it wouldn't be beneficial to cause a conflict with their citizens, especially those associated with religious fanaticism, since it might get extreme and potentially cause a civil war.

The Natives of Bier were better at swimming and fishing than the other surrounding territories of Berlin, causing them to believe that this trait developed due to their reverence and belief in the mythical sea serpent.

2nine calmly handed a signbook to Father Vicar, pointing to a line at the bottom that required his signature. As Father Vicar accepted the book, one of the Carriers handed 2nine a small ceremonial knife which had a small ruby crystal embedded into its knob. The knife had numerous mysterious engravings carved into its body and shaft, causing it to emit a type of historical aura.

Father Vicar appeared calm at the sight of the blade, which meant that this wasn't out of the ordinary or a threat to him or his subordinates, as he continued signing. After he finished, he handed the signbook to an Ember Cleric at his side, instructing him to fill in the remaining details in the book as he handed the eerie and mysterious box to 2nine.

2nine calmly accepted the knife, instructing his subordinates to step back two paces as he got ready to conduct the sealing procedure for the box. He calmly used the ornamental knife to prick the middle index finger of his right hand, allowing a trickle of blood to drip onto the box. After handing over the knife to a subordinate at his side, he then took on a solemn posture as he prepared to recite the Binding Incantation.

With this Blood, I say:

Let the Seal be Sown,

The Bond be True,

And the Gates be forever Closed!

As 2nine solemnly recited this incantation in an indistinguishable language, the raindrops slowly became suspended in the air as the environment around him seemed to take on a divine and solemn tone, causing the wind around him to spiral into a small, gentle storm.

He calmly used his finger to draw the image of a gate bound by chains, the very image displayed on the badge of his coat, onto the box while seemingly being unaffected by the changes that were happening around him. After he completed the last stroke, a sense of oppression was instantly lifted from the environment, the night ambiance taking on a surreal silence.

He then placed the box into a pre-arranged wooden container, nodded to Father Vicar, and turned to walk off in silence. One of the Car

riers stepped forward to receive the signbook from the Cleric who was previously signing it, as she gently nodded to the group before turning around to catch up with her leader. Father Vicar observed all this in silence, a sigh escaping from his lips.

"I've interacted with the Carriers more than once, and their rigorous and clinical mode of operation always manages to surprise me."

After saying this, he turned to face his subordinates, saying in a calm but barely audible voice, "Let's go, we have to get back to the ship."

Following the directive, the group of Clerics retraced their steps, moving back slowly in the direction whence they came. As the once intense rain gradually diminished, the mesmerizing silver moon silently observed the secret exchange, witnessing both parties depart in opposite directions as the distance between them increased with perfect silence.

…

2nine and his group of Carriers walked forward in perfect silence, their footsteps portraying a sense of urgency hidden beneath their calm demeanor. He had been briefed and read the file on Oddity - 999 - IV before being given this pickup mission, so he knew how dangerous this paranormal entity actually was.

Oddity - 999 - IV, or 'Pandora's Box', was an Oddity with a very sad and eerie backstory. It was an entity that had originated in Rommel, a city in the Territory of Berlin, and was originally an ornamental makeup box that was passed on to its owner, Pandora, by her mother on her deathbed.

Pandora was one of the most sought-after and desired maidens in Rommel, making her quite popular with men and women alike. Her natural beauty, which was further intensified by her exquisite makeup skills, made her an enchanting and elegant figure to behold. She inevitably got chased and sought after by nobles and commoners alike due to her aesthetic beauty, earning her instant fame and popularity. Pandora eventually became the mistress of the head of a Viscount family in Rommel after being wooed and swayed by him constantly for almost two years.

She found out she was pregnant with the Viscount's child a year after their affair started, causing him to be overjoyed by the news as both of them basked in the happiness of new life. She ended up enjoying a couple more months of splendor from the wild and secretive romance but was eventually assassinated by the Viscount's wife after she found out about the affair and filial pregnancy.

Driven by jealousy and fury, the wife ordered for Pandora and her unborn child to be burnt, their ashes sealed in the makeup box which she adored so much and thrown into the ocean off the coast of Rommel. The box was eventually found a couple of years later and would be the cause of a disaster known as the Scourge of Resentment, which took place in Rommel.

The usually calm and stoic 2nine released a sigh filled with pity as his mind perused the backstory of this dangerous artifact and its tragic owner. The Viscount and his entire family ended up losing their lives in the scourge, even down to their innocent children who weren't involved in their atrocities.

Karma indeed has no menu. You get served exactly what you deserve, and then some.

As 2nine was engrossed in his inner musings, a blacked-out carriage with a gray banner could be seen at the end of their path, partially obscured by the darkness of the night. A coach steward was stationed outside, courteously standing beside the carriage door as he noticed the approaching Carriers.

"How was the meal, sir?" said the coachman as he calmly looked at 2nine and the other Carriers while grasping his umbrella.

"Like flatbread and wine."

"What type of wine may I ask?"

"White wine, the best kind," answered 2nine at a calm pace.

This was the code which was agreed upon by the group upon leaving for the exchange, which would signify that the handoff was successfully completed without any compromises. The coach steward calmly opened the carriage door after hearing the response, allowing the carriers to enter as he signaled to the driver to start moving.

As they settled into the carriage, 2nine asked for the information report of Oddity - 999 - IV from his subordinate, glancing over it again as the carriage moved at a steady pace.

Oddity - 999 - IV

Name: Pandora's Box

Category: IN - Inanimate object.

Phase: Kip - Dormant.

Tier: IV - Has been reported to affect and even claim the lives of Apostolic Priests and below. Potential for Tier to be higher after further research and evaluation.

History: Originated from Rommel, in the kingdom of Berlin. Previously a makeup box of lady Pandora, a native of Rommel. Appeared as an official Oddity in the Year 1113 of the New Testament Calendar and was subdued in the year 1115 after wreaking havoc in Rommel for almost two years.

Description: A mauve-colored ornamental box with numerous eerie and mysterious calligraphed markings, engraved with the image of a crying woman and child in its center.

Abilities: inconclusive - Abilities shown over the two-year time period were multiple and impossible to narrow down but had certain similarities to the domain of death. Needs further assessment.

2nine then dropped the information report and glanced out of the carriage window in thought. "The rain slowed down after I placed the binding incantation on the box. Does that mean that the increase in the rain was caused by the paranormal pressure passively released by it?

"This box might actually be higher than Tier IV, maybe even as high as base Tier III."

He then studied the wooden box which housed Oddity - 999 - IV, finally allowing himself to heave a sigh of relief. "I'm glad the exchange went well at least."

He suddenly felt their surroundings take on a gloomy and grim atmosphere as all of the shadows in their vicinity which were previously suppressed by the light of the silver moon seemed to come alive and ecstatically rush towards the carriage from the left side of the forest!