Prime ricerche Lifter
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In early 2007, squatters in
the vacated home of N.G. found concealed in a wall a sealed case containing
several documents relating to a LeMarchand box, hitherto undocumented.
After a failed attempt to use the documents as a blackmail device, which
cost the squatters their lives, the documents passed through several
LeMarchand researcher's hands before being obtained by the Pyramid-Gallery
in late November.
Although somewhat water damaged, the documents are still clearly legible and
consist of photographs and memos referring to various scientific probings of
a previously unknown LeMarchand box. Included among the documents are
photocopies of what could be design notes, and a typed transcript from
LeMarchand's own journal.
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The journal entries begin
with LeMarchand being awoken in the middle of the night by a presence in his
room...
"I am not accustomed to being disturbed from my rest, and am not likely to take kindly to it. The fact that this person had had the impudence to enter my bedchamber in the dead of night meant that their chances of survival until morning had been greatly reduced. I reached for the lantern by my bed with one hand and my blade with the other, excited by the thought of killing this impudent intruder, when the light shone across his face."
"For a moment,
the illumination seemed to avoid him. Striking the floor and the wall, but
shying away from his form, as if the light itself were a sentient thing and
was afraid. As I moved forward with blade raised, the light seemed to slide
greasily and slowly across the dark rags he wore until it reached his face,
where for the briefest of moments he appeared shriveled and dessicated like
a corpse taken from the Egyptian desert and displayed in a museum. Then the
light illuminated him fully and I saw a strong young man of around 20 years.
A short life, to be sure, as I thrust my sword through his stomach to end
it."
"To my surprise and indignation, he did not die, but removed the sword in a manner suggesting weariness. With a voice that like his appearance began crackled and dessicated, yet gained strength with each word, he introduced himself as 'Zosimus'. He informed me that, for a price, he could teach me the secret of eternal life. I am not without humor, and found this to be greatly amusing. Little would I know the wonders he was to make me privy to, although his reasons were unusual, to say the least."
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According to Lemarchand's Journal and later research by N.G., Zosimus was a Greek alchemist, born in the year 300 A.D., who wrote an encyclopedia of 28 tomes containing much of what is known today of mummification and ancient mathematical formula. He is also the discoverer of the elixir that grants immortality. The great extension of his life had taken its toll however, and after over 1400 years of unnatural existence, he had become increasingly alienated by the world as it changed around him. All he had once loved was now gone. He now lived in the shadows, lonely and fearful of a time he could not understand and could never be part of, yet he had found that he was incapable of death.
Many methods of self destruction he had tried, only to be dragged screaming back to the world. His soul ever more tortured, and his existence ever more one of perpetual agony despite having the external appearance of youth and vitality. Then he had learned of LeMarchand, and seen in him the possibility of the death he so yearned for. In return for granting him death, he offered the great knowledge of his art, and the blackest of arcane rites from the many cultures he had seen pass.
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Photocopy of LeMarchand's design notes for Zosimus The Immortal.
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For several months,
LeMarchand toiled with Zosimus, and learned from him secrets that no other
had ever known. Many of these secrets he poured into his creation, and when
the box was almost complete, LeMarchand's treacherous nature showed itself.
"Zosimus had shown me all he knew, and the time of his reward was at hand,
but my device was still missing a component essential to its workings. From
Zosimus, this piece was taken. With my blade I severed his head, and with
his still living eyes staring at me, his soundless mouth forming curses, I
cut from his struggling body his heart. Black and dry inside his youthful
form it was, and it crackled as it beat in my hand. Upon its removal his
body showed its true form. Shriveling like a spider in a flame to a husk,
as his eyes turned to dust, and the hair fell from his blackened leather
skin. His spirit lived still in the beating organ I held, I had only to
return it to the body to restore him. But as I said, my box was missing a
piece, so into its core I sealed the heart with its agonized spirit locked
within."
From the scientific documents it would appear, although not conclusively,
that the box does indeed contain some form of organic matter. Furthermore,
that it would appear to be generating some small measure of detectable
heat. Is this the heart of Zosimus the Immortal, or are the writings just
those of an insane murderer and toy maker? With the whereabouts of the box
and its owner currently unknown, we may never know.
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Editor's Addendum:
