Crestet Cesimir nodded. "Then swear upon the Holy Artifact."
He bent down and lifted the silver suitcase, then placed it on his knees, his dark green eyes turning black.
He then pressed down as the cover of the silver suitcase suddenly receded.
At the same time, Klein felt that the light around him was being drawn by the suitcase. Apart from the lights from the lamps, as well as the silver splendor that spiraled within the suitcase, the alchemy room turned pitch dark.
With a crisp snapping sound, Crestet opened the suitcase, revealing the pure white bone sword that lay within.
The sword silently released a pure white glow. It looked as though it had no defects on its surface, but if one were to look closely, they would find that its surface was laced with layers of symbols and icons. These mysterious patterns intertwined to form the body of the sword.
Klein observed the holy sword, realizing that he couldn't look away; his vision was being drawn towards it as his brown eyes slowly lost their luster.
Crestet lifted the suitcase, moving the sword away. Klein snapped out of his trance, freeing himself, and cast his gaze to the side, asking, "Your Grace, do you need me to put my hand on the holy sword?"
"Yes, come over."
Klein stood up, still looking to the side as he took small steps forward in the dark.
"Stop," Crestet spoke calmly.
Klein halted, bent down, and extended his hand, placing it atop the holy sword.
A cold feeling swept through his skin and into his mind as the distracting thoughts and feelings of worry eased.
"Recite after me," Crestet said.
"Alright." Klein nodded and heard the deacon speak in Hermes.
"Oh Evernight Goddess, nobler than the stars and more eternal than eternity.
I swear to you in my real name and my spirituality.
I, Klein, will never reveal the details of the 'acting method' to those who do not know of it from this moment forth.
If I go against this, I shall accept any punishment you deem fit.
Please witness my oath."
Klein made the oath in Hermes, following Deacon Cesimir's lead. He had the faint feeling that a connection had been established between him and a faraway being through the pure white bone sword.
After retracting his right hand, he drew a crimson moon on his chest.
Cesimir closed the cover of the suitcase and pressed down heavily. The darkness receded as light filled the entire room, and Cesimir's eyes regained their usual blackish-green.
Klein made his way back to his chair and asked in puzzlement, "Acting method?"
Crestet said, "You might not understand what I'm about to tell you, but I cannot explain why that is so, as it involves the secrets of the Church. You will only be permitted to know after you become a core member of the Church, such as an archbishop or a high-ranking deacon."
Crestet placed the suitcase back beside him. "In the long history of time, the Church has had many genius Beyonders figuring out a way to avoid losing control. And the core of this method is the name of the potion. It's not only critical; it's also the key."
He continued, "We have realized that the names of the potions all point to a certain group, and this group has their own approach and operates in unique ways. In simpler terms, there are a set of rules that come with the name of the potion, different rules for different potions. When we follow these rules strictly, the risk of losing control is reduced to a minimum, and we become more and more like the group described by the name of the potion. In other words, we are acting as the job that the name of the potion points us toward. That is the 'acting method.'
You must remember, the spirituality of every individual is special, unique. Even though the core rules must be followed by the people who consume the same potion, there are always certain variations to the rules that are unique to the individual. Thus, the experiences of others can only serve as a guide."
That is a point that I didn't realize... Klein said sincerely, "Thank you for informing me. I will remember that."
Crestet said, "These are the experiences accumulated over the generations.
After using the 'acting method,' we not only gain mastery over the potion, we're also digesting it, just as we would our food. When you truly digest the potion, you will feel a unique, mysterious sensation, understood?"
"I understand. 'Digestion,' this term is very appropriate..." Klein said, deep in thought.
After Crestet explained the method in more detail, Klein asked, "Your Grace, since the name of the potion is not only the core but also the key, then how did the first Beyonders obtain them? I heard that it was recorded on the Blasphemy Slate."
"Yes, that is correct," Crestet replied. "But the Blasphemy Slate was inscribed with the ancient names. The names of the potions that we use today were derived in part from divine revelations. Some were also consolidated by the experiences of the Beyonders themselves."
Klein nodded slowly. "Your Grace, since the 'acting method' is so effective, why wouldn't the Church tell every Nighthawk about it?"
"I have said that it is a secret of the Church. You will understand the reason behind it once you become an archbishop or a high-ranking deacon," Crestet answered. "Alright, return upstairs and tell the rest of the Nighthawks to come down one at a time. I have to carry out the final step of the examination."
Klein bade farewell, following the Nighthawks' etiquette, and made his way past the corridor and up the stairs, returning to the Blackthorn Security Company. He saw Dunn smoking his pipe near the entrance of the basement and said, "There shouldn't be any more problems; His Grace wants me to inform Frye and the others to head down for a conversation with him."
"Yes, that is the last step. That means that there were no problems." Dunn put away his pipe and headed to the recreation room to tell the rest.
As Klein watched Frye and Seeka enter the basement, Dunn paused for a moment and said, "One of the advantages of having a high-ranking deacon examine you is that there's no need to send a telegraph to the Holy Cathedral or engage in an exchange of letters. He can make the decision on the spot and hand the formula for the Clown potion as well as the main ingredients to you."
"That's not too bad." Klein said.
An hour and a half passed, and Klein was once again called downstairs.
This time, the deacon was standing as he looked at Klein and spoke. "Nighthawk Klein Moretti, I announce in the name of the Goddess that you have passed the examination of the Holy Cathedral. Congratulations. With your contributions, you can immediately advance to become a Sequence 8 Beyonder."