Chapter 198: Clock Totem
Creating a Totem was a weird feeling. It was the opposite of creating a Divine or Zodiac Statue. When Carter designed those two, he could have a good idea on what he's trying to make.
Wicked Witch Totem was a little bit different. He felt the emotions and power stirred within him. It took shape within the old table clock as he began to carve it out and mess with its eternal components.
He let the emotions lead him and showed him what the clock meant to be.
'It seems like the object can decide what it wants to become. Like it has a mind of its own.'
Carter saw something within a clock. He saw a swinging metal pendulum. But it had no pendulum at the moment.
Carter looked around and saw a metal pen left behind by James. He took it apart and forged it into the metal hand for the new clock.
It was a mini table clock that was designed to look like a standing pendulum clock. A rather intriguing souvenir.
'It is done. What should I give it?'
The Totem was made. But he could give it one final touch with Quad Formation. More power. An element. A spiritual form. Or a unique effect.
'Since I took Watson's pen to make this...'
Carter gently touched his index finger on the clock. The sickly green aura transferred from the witch's smooth finger to the clock.
'Protect James Watson.'
The clock shook gently then calmed down. It looked nothing out of the ordinary.
Carter wasted an entire day making that totem. He didn't even notice the time went by.
James had returned. He was surprised to see an unfamiliar woman sitting in Frankenstein's favorite chair.
"Hello, Dr. Watson." The witch smiled. Her beauty mark near the mouth was the first thing he noticed.
Watson took his hat off, "Hello, Miss. You are..."
"Ursula LeBeau. I came to look for Frankenstein. But it seems like he isn't here."
"Do you want to send a message? I can tell him for you."
"No need, Dr. Watson. I have a gift for you."
"Me?" Watson scratched his head. "I don't mean to be impolite. But why?"
The witch shrugged and gave Dr. Watson the clock. "I think you'll might need it."
Then she got out of the room and disappeared.
Only then that Dr. Watson noticed the wood chips on the ground and his disassemble pen. He immediately looked toward the shelf and noticed the missing clock.
"Aw, shit! That's Frankenstein's favorite clock. Wait a minute, Lady!"
Jame went after her but the witch was already gone.
[SHADOW APOTHECARY EQUIPPED]
Carter went around the block and returned as the white-coated doctor. He pretended like he just got back from work.
"Victor! You're finally here! There was a crazy woman just sneaked into our apartment!"
"Crazy woman?"
They went back to the apartment and Watson told him about the woman.
The doctor had a much more serious expression than Dr. Watson expected.
"Something's wrong?"
"Her name is Ursula LeBeau?"
"That's right."
"Ursula LeBeau is the Wicked Witch."
"Is that a stage name or..."
Carter shook his head, "An actual witch. Give me that clock."
Watson handed him the clock without hesitation. The doctor examined it carefully then breathed out in relief.
"Luckily, this thing is a positive totem."
"What do you mean?"
"Witch Totem. You can consider it as magical artifact that can do many unimaginable things. Ursula is a mysterious old witch. She isn't evil and not entirely good either. But it seems like she is fond of you as she gives you a rather good totem."
"Whoa whoa whoa! Wait a minute! I'm not going to keep an object from a person called Wicked Witch!"
The doctor shrugged. "Your choice, to be honest. I would keep it though."
The night passed away peacefully. Carter returned as Dr. Frankenstein and worked in the Enthrall Institute.
The pandemic was wreaking havoc in Luandon at the moment. And each patient was a bundle of Synchronization for Victor Frankenstein.
Carter chose the Institute and used the power of the Infirmary Construction on it, enhancing his healing power and the recovery of patients.
The Director of the Enthrall Institute, Paul Avery, was a First Generation. So Carter used his 'connection' to make sure Paul signed every document for Frankenstein and provided him with the materials he needed, free of charge.
Paul Avery lived by the funds of the Evening Social Club, which consisted of countless wealthy tycoon in Anglas. The combined wealth of the Club could almost be said infinite as this point. So Paul gladly obeyed his order.
Carter experimented and created endless potions in the night, accumulating his Synchronization. At day, he treated the patients of the pandemic and single-handedly stabilized the situation in Luandon.
The Synchronization came like a river.
[Synchronization +5.0%]
[Synchronization +5.0%]
[Synchro...
At one particular night when the situation in the Institute was rather calm, Carter approached the Director's office.
He knocked on the door.
"Come in."
Inside, Paul was dealing with a stacks of paperwork. But he didn't seem tired at all. His skin was smooth and no amount of bags could be seen under his eyes.
"Ah, Dr. Frankenstein. How can I help you?"
"I was wondering what the city was doing with all the corpses of the pandemic."
Paul adjusted the gas lamp on the table to be brighter, shining its deep yellow light onto Carter. He leaned back on his chair.
"It is a big problem at the moment. The Cemetery is overcrowd. The Morgue is full. As you know, the authority has to burn the corpses to avoid another outbreak."
"Give them all to me. I will study them to see if I can develop a kind of vaccine. If I can't, I can safely dispose them as well."
"You have a way to get rid of the corpses? Can this be done in mass number? The city can use this to deal with the corpse."
"Of course. That is why I want to talk this over with you. We can deal with the corpse issue and I can study them as well."
"Very well. I will call the Mayor and arrange this." Paul nodded. He didn't ask further because he really didn't care.
The Vampires didn't want a chaotic society. That would only raise the chance of them being discovered. A calm, peaceful society was best to hide in plain sight.
As for Carter, he needed them for research, that was true. But he also intended to turn them all into Skin Shards.