Scenario:Alchemist Astray - Chapter 3: The Gate of Helmuth - Episode 4
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Alchemist Astray - Chapter 3: The Gate of Helmuth - Episode 4
What was thought to be Clarisse turns out to be the mysterious white form in disguise. Known as the Gate of Helmuth, it is revealed to be a philosopher's stone with alchemic abilities especially effective against Cagliostro.
Cagliostro: You'll regret that!
Clarisse: ...!
Deliford: Cagliostro, stop! This is going too far!
Cagliostro: Don't worry. I'll be sure it doesn't kill... Hm?
Clarisse: Aaah!
Lyria: Ah!
Vyrn: Wh-what?
Taking the brunt of Cagliostro's alchemic attack, Clarisse lets out a shrill cry.
Blinding light suddenly flares out from her body.
???: ...
Vyrn: What the! Sh-she looks like—
Lyria: Like that figure from the research facility! B-but then that means...
Cagliostro: It all makes sense now.
Cagliostro: You made that thing take on Clarisse's form.
Paracelsus: Yes. Precisely.
Cagliostro: Tsk. Fooled by the oldest trick in the tome.
Cagliostro: Just goes to show that the shock of it all got the better of me.
Cagliostro: But this is good. If that's not Clarisse, I won't have to hold back any—
Cagliostro: Ngh!
Lyria: Cagliostro!
Vyrn: Wh-what's wrong? Are you okay?
Cagliostro: Can't... move...
Paracelsus: Remarkable... How easily you've allowed it to evolve from albedo to nigredo.
Paracelsus: Your power truly is tremendous.
Cagliostro: Albedo... nigredo... So that thing's a philosopher's stone.
Cagliostro: That explains what's happening to me.
Cagliostro: This is the weapon that was made to capture me.
Cagliostro: But to make a weapon entirely out of a philosopher's stone... You're sick, Paracelsus.
Paracelsus: Humph. Ahh, the founder's vaunted brilliance. Sharp as ever, I see.
Paracelsus: This weapon, my creation, shall surpass even you, founder. Behold, the Gate of Helmuth!
Paracelsus: No. Given its current state, perhaps Nigredo would be a more fitting name.
Vyrn: H-hey, what's a philosopher's stone?
Cagliostro: The sole substance that can ignore the alchemical law of equivalent exchange.
Cagliostro: The stone is also able to manipulate and reconstruct any material in any way its keeper desires.
Lyria: U-um...
Deliford: My apologies. I understood none of that.
Vyrn: Ditto.
Cagliostro: Hmm, if I were to put it in simpler terms...
Cagliostro: It's a magical stone that, given the proper conditions, can grant any wish one desires.
Lyria: A-any wish?
Cagliostro: Any.
Vyrn: What! So it's basically invincible!
Cagliostro: Don't worry. That thing is still in nigredo, its dark phase. It's far from being a full-fledged philosopher's stone yet.
Cagliostro: The completion process is anything but easy.
Cagliostro: It starts in its light stage, albedo. Then comes nigredo, veriditas, citrinitas, and finally rubedo. Only then is it a true philosopher's stone.
Cagliostro: That thing over there isn't granting wishes just yet.
Paracelsus: An accurate summation. However, the dark phase is already having quite an effect on you, is it not?
Cagliostro: ...
Paracelsus: And I can see your friends are starting to feel it too.
Lyria: Ah...
Deliford: Ngh...
Vyrn: Man, I'm feeling kinda weak...
Cagliostro: That's the dark phase taking its effect.
Cagliostro: In this stage the stone causes both itself and all nearby substances to decay and degrade.
Cagliostro: The very elements of our bodies are slowly being disintegrated.
Cagliostro: We feel it as a loss of stamina.
Lyria: So if this continues...
Cagliostro: We can forget about moving ever again.
Vyrn: This is bad!
Cagliostro: It is.
Cagliostro: My alchemized body is especially susceptible to the decay.
Cagliostro: Whatever you're feeling now, I'm getting that several times over.
Vyrn: Holy cow!
Lyria: B-but if it affects everything around, why isn't Paracelsus getting weaker?
Paracelsus: I'm not a fool. Do you think I'd let myself be affected by my own weapon?
Lyria: B-but...
Paracelsus: Humph. I see you finally understand...
Paracelsus: You never had a chance from the start.
Cagliostro: So you're going to use that thing to seal me away again?
Paracelsus: Seal you away? Oh no, far from it.
Paracelsus: Nigredo will absorb your knowledge, skills, body—all that you are...
Paracelsus: And then proceed to be reborn as a new existence to serve us!
Cagliostro: ...!
Paracelsus: A philosopher's stone with the knowledge and abilities of the very creator of alchemy.
Paracelsus: No desire would be out of our reach. An ultimate weapon for us to wield. No... a god!
Paracelsus: And we shall breach the inner sanctum of truth itself and acquire the entirety of all knowledge.
Cagliostro: I'm almost flattered you think of me that way.
Cagliostro: But that ain't happening.
Paracelsus: Impressive. You can still stand.
Cagliostro: Heh. Who do you think I am?
Cagliostro: The greatest, cutest alchemist in history isn't going to be bested by the likes of you!
Cagliostro: (Captain), Deliford! Let's go!