Showcases of the Veil
"Oh? So these are the two criminal masterminds I keep hearing about," said a deep voice from the entrance.
Harry and Percy, who had been about to flee before their mother could interrogate them, froze in place. Both turned toward the door and saw an elderly man with completely white hair entering the room. His clothes seemed a bit too tight for such a muscular body, and the ugly scars visible on his neck and wrists shifted slightly, as if something beneath his skin were twisting.
The old man regarded them with a mix of interest and amusement; his presence commanded respect and curiosity at the same time.
"Sir Vincent," greeted Sally politely, setting the lantern aside. She knew that this man was, in a way, the leader of the place. Though his appearance could be intimidating, he had always been kind to her. Besides, he deserved her full respect; thanks to him, she had this job and, most importantly, protection for her children—something that had proven extremely valuable more than once.
"I told you to drop that title, Sally. It makes me sound like some tough guy," Vincent replied with a teasing smile. He didn't need the title to seem tough; his physique and scars spoke for themselves.
Harry studied him carefully, analyzing every detail, while Percy looked at him with bright, excited eyes, as if hoping the old man would challenge him to a sword duel. Fortunately, his brother knew him well enough to give him a discreet nudge to stay quiet.
Vincent looked at them again, amused.
"I've heard many stories about you two—especially the one involving some woman named Aunt Marge. Apparently, you're quite good at causing trouble without getting caught."
Harry turned his gaze aside, pretending not to have heard, while Percy did the same in the opposite direction. Their synchronized act of feigned innocence only made them look guiltier.
Sally sighed and shook her head lightly, though a small smile tugged at her lips. Then she looked back at Vincent.
"So, sir, what brings you here? Did you need something from me?"
"Ah, right," he replied, crossing his arms. "First, I wanted to meet in person the two little devils who keep my best men acting like babysitters… and second—"
Before he could finish, the door opened again. Adrien entered, carrying a long box in his arms.
"Ah, right on time," said the old man, turning toward him.
Adrien nodded slightly to greet Sally, then smiled at the boys.
"Got it here, old man."
"Excellent." Vincent turned to Sally. "We want you to take a look at this. We found it on a sunken ship… and well, I won't go into details about where exactly, since the way we got it wasn't entirely legal," he added with a playful wink at the boys.
"Ah… I see," replied Sally, intrigued, as Adrien carefully placed the box on the table and opened it.
"The sensors picked up strange energy," Adrien explained. "It doesn't seem magical, but the materials aren't from this world either. Maybe you can figure something out."
Inside was an object that, at first glance, looked like a copper metal bat.
However, to Sally and the boys' eyes, it was something entirely different.
A sword.
The blade was engraved with runes in an ancient language that Percy and Harry recognized instantly.
"Anaklusmos…" they both murmured at the same time, reading the inscription carved into the steel.
Vincent and Adrien turned toward them, surprised. Sally looked as well, though her expression was different—a flicker of fear crossed her face.
Both children had seen through the Mist. And they had done it without Mor's help, who was usually the only one capable of guiding them during hunts. They shouldn't have been able to see the object's true form—not yet, not without knowing the blood running through their veins.
"It's a cool sword," said Percy casually, as if confirming that he could indeed see it perfectly. "Though the sword Aunt Mor gave me is cooler."
"'Riptide' is an interesting name," added Harry, less excited but equally curious.
"Sword?" asked Adrien, peering into the box. All he could see was a baseball bat. He looked at Vincent for confirmation, but the old man merely shrugged.
It was strange. The object had been found on an ancient sunken ship, and there was no logical reason for a bat to be there. It seemed more like someone had deliberately left it to be found. That was why they needed Sally to examine it… but now, clearly, there was more to it than they had expected.
Sally quickly closed the box, preventing the boys from staring at the sword any longer.
The abrupt gesture caught both Adrien's and Vincent's attention.
"It doesn't seem to have any malignant or dangerous magic. So it can be stored as is," said Sally with apparent calm, though her tone carried a protective edge.
Percy lowered his shoulders, visibly disappointed. He would've loved to take a closer look at the sword, but his mother clearly had no intention of allowing it.
Vincent looked from the boys to Sally, then at the box.
"If that's the case, we'll place it with the Egyptian artifacts," he decided with a smile.
"Egyptian? But it's clearly Greek," said Percy, confused, while Harry nodded vigorously, looking at the old man as if pointing out an obvious mistake.
"Oh, really?" Vincent replied, amused. "Then we'll place it wherever our young experts say it belongs."
He then turned to them with a wider smile.
"Would you like to enter the Veil and see the relics up close?"
"Can we?" asked Harry, his excitement barely contained.
"Of course," the old man replied, motioning for them to follow.
Sally, who watched them with some concern, shook her head as if trying to shrug off a bad feeling. Finally she sighed and followed them.
The children walked beside the old man, who was surprisingly friendly, answering each of the many questions they asked about the Veil's objects, the sunken ships and the places where they found their treasures.
"Sometimes thieves move items from country to country, and when they reach ours we simply take them away. Other times we get them at auctions," the old man explained calmly as they walked.
"And why do you keep them instead of using them?" Harry asked with genuine interest.
"Well, many of these things we don't even know what they do, so we don't use them. If we did know, of course we would. But it's not like they're needed all the time. You could say we merely safeguard them, to keep them out of the wrong hands," he replied matter-of-factly.
When they arrived at a large metal door, the old man nodded to the guards, who immediately opened it. A gust of cool air came from the other side, and the children stepped through with wide eyes.
At last they were inside the huge hall they had only seen behind glass walls until now. The place was impressive. Around them rose display cases and shelves filled with artifacts of every kind: crowns, ancient weapons, jars, talismans and items from so many cultures that the air itself felt charged with magic. Some glowed with faint lights of different colors; others cast shadows that did not seem to obey logic.
Harry and Percy stood in awe, though they soon noticed something else: some objects did not look the same to them as to others. Where others saw gilded chains, they perceived living ropes that moved slowly, as if breathing. A spear that looked normal to everyone else, in the brothers' eyes dripped thick, dark blood from its tip, without anyone else seeming to notice.
There was also a vase containing a bright golden liquid. Its scent was almost intoxicating; sweet and warm, as if inviting a taste. Percy took a step forward, fascinated, but Harry grabbed his arm and hauled him back firmly.
Meanwhile, Harry heard that Parseltongue whisper again. He looked around, confused, trying to find the voice's origin.
Distracted, Percy stopped by the guards to watch them place the sword in a new display case; his eyes tracked every movement, clearly hypnotized.
Unable to resist his curiosity any longer, Harry walked in another direction. His steps led him to a small case placed in a dimmer corner. Inside was a tiny vial, no larger than a finger, filled with a dark red liquid that gleamed softly in the light.
The stopper looked as if it were made of gold; a small snake coiled around a staff was carved on it. Harry leaned closer. He watched the subtle movement of the snake, which seemed to slide slowly over the metal, as if alive. He blinked, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes; when he looked again the snake was still there, moving just a little.
Then he heard a murmur. It was soft, almost a sigh, but he recognized the language instantly. Parseltongue.
Frowning, he whispered under his breath, as if repeating something he had understood instinctively.
"The Elixir of Life…"
A hand suddenly rested on his shoulder, and Harry startled, spinning around. Adrien stood at his side, wearing a calm expression.
"It's time to go back," he said, indicating the group that was already leaving. Vincent watched from a distance while Percy, glued to the sword's case, tried to get a better look before his mother gently moved him away.
"Ah… yes, sorry," said Harry, putting his glasses away and hurrying to join them. Adrien followed him with his gaze as the boy walked away. Before turning, he cast one last look at the vial in the case.
"Elixir of Life…" he repeated to himself, folding his arms. Then, frowning, he murmured, "Greek."
He fell silent for a few seconds, thoughtful.
"So wizards aren't the only hidden world that exists," he added at last, before turning and following the others, his mind full of questions.
…
"Europe!"
The shout echoed in an unfamiliar room. A young man, pale and with bulging eyes, panted in sheer panic.
"No… no… no. I can't go there. I will be devoured, chewed up; there won't even be bones left!"
"Relax. They won't eat you," another voice replied, mocking and clearly unsympathetic. "Just go and do your job."
"Ahem… don't worry," interjected a third voice, calmer but concerned. "We'll give you something to help. Apparently there is a community that once followed the Goddess of Magic and has grown quite a bit. According to reports, they have a base over there, and you could start by connecting with them. I'll go with you."
"Ah…" the young man sighed, somewhat calmed by those words.
"Bah, more brats sent to that 'fun' place," said the sarcastic voice, with obvious annoyance. "And tell me, if you go, who will deal with those noisy ones?"
"You'll have to, obviously. It's a mission assigned by the Oracle," replied the other man calmly.
"Ah, great. Just great. Everyone disappears and leaves the mess to me. How considerate." He spat the words with a bitter smile, then added, "And I hope a hydra devours them slowly; at least I'll be spared hearing them complain when they come back."
The youngest trembled at the sound, while distant laughter echoed in the room, leaving an atmosphere heavy with foreboding.