Alex sat in his apartment, staring at the mess he'd made. His dining table was covered in scattered notes, open books, and hastily scribbled symbols that, only a few days ago, he wouldn't have recognized. Now, they were burned into his brain. He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. The knowledge from the Archive was still settling in, disjointed and tangled like a million puzzle pieces dumped on the floor.
"Alright," he muttered to himself. "One thing at a time."
He grabbed a legal pad and clicked his pen. First order of business—languages. The Archive had filled his head with fluency in dialects he'd never even heard before. He scrawled out a list:
- Latin (obvious one, used in a ton of supernatural rituals)
- Enochian (angelic script, dangerous knowledge—definitely need to be careful with this)
- Sumerian (old as hell, probably tied to some ancient magic)
- Aramaic (biblical connections, demonology, exorcisms?)
- Cuneiform (Sumerian, Akkadian—ancient texts, maybe hidden knowledge)
- Some language I don't recognize (not human?)
Alex tapped the pen against his chin. The first few made sense. Latin, Aramaic, Sumerian—they had clear connections to religious and supernatural traditions. But that last one? The symbols and sounds of it felt wrong, like his brain was struggling to process something fundamentally different from human speech.
"Let's not mess with that one yet," he murmured, drawing a line under it.
Next: knowledge. He divided the page into two columns—Practical and Unknown/Dangerous.
Practical:
- Ritual circles and glyphs (protection, summoning, banishment—useful, but need to test)
- Symbolism in supernatural entities (markings, sigils, meanings in different cultures)
- Blood magic basics (okay, sketchy, but good to know about)
- Exorcism rites (Latin and Aramaic versions—safe bet these will come in handy)
- Curse-breaking techniques (some practical, some… questionable)
**Unknown/Dangerous:**
- "Conceptual Binding" (The Archive showed something about linking ideas to reality? Need to explore.)
- Blood contracts (Used for summoning? Controlling? Memory is fuzzy on the specifics.)
- Something about names carrying power (true names, real identities—dangerous to mess with?)
- The strange language (Tied to something old. Feels important, but no idea why yet.)
Alex sighed and leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. The sheer volume of information was overwhelming. He knew better than to assume he fully understood any of it just because it was in his head now. Knowledge without context was dangerous. Hell, even with context, half of this was dangerous.
He needed to test what he could, categorize the rest, and avoid anything that screamed "probably going to get me killed."
But more than that, he needed to figure out why the Archive had this information in the first place.
A thought nagged at the back of his mind. The Archive wasn't just a random haunted shop. It was alive. It fed on knowledge. But it also stored it. What was its purpose? And why did it have this specific mix of languages, spells, and forbidden knowledge?
Was it just a collector? Or was there something more?
His fingers drummed against the table. He had a feeling this was just the beginning.
"Alright," he muttered. "Time to see what I can actually use."
Alex sat at his desk, fingers drumming against the worn wooden surface as he stared at the mess of notes spread before him. He had spent the past few days trying to make sense of the flood of information he had absorbed from the Living Archive. While he had escaped with his memories intact, he had gained so much more—fragments of knowledge spanning languages, rituals, and ancient secrets. Now, he needed to break it all down and figure out what was actually useful.
Languages:
One of the most immediate and practical things he had gained was fluency in several languages—Latin, Enochian, Sumerian, and a handful of others. But knowing them wasn't enough; he needed to understand their significance.
- Latin: The backbone of most occult practices. Used extensively in spells, exorcisms, and rituals. A working knowledge of Latin meant being able to read and understand grimoires and incantations. He scribbled a note: 'Practice reading aloud to improve pronunciation—screwing up a ritual because of bad Latin would be embarrassing and potentially fatal.'
- Enochian: The so-called "language of angels." This one made him uneasy. According to what he had absorbed, it was incredibly potent, often used for summoning, divine magic, and angelic rituals. It wasn't something to be toyed with lightly. He underlined a note: 'DO NOT TEST ANYTHING IN ENOCHIAN UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY.'
- Sumerian & Other Ancient Tongues: Mostly used in older forms of magic, curse-breaking, and forgotten rituals. Some demons and spirits responded to these better than Latin, making them useful in exorcisms or negotiations.
Ritual Circles and Glyphs:
The biggest chunk of practical knowledge came in the form of ritual work. Alex now understood the mechanics behind several types of circles and sigils.
- Protection Circles: These worked by creating a barrier against supernatural forces. The key was the intent and the materials used—salt, iron, blessed chalk, or blood. Properly drawn, they could keep demons, spirits, and other creatures at bay.
- Summoning Circles: Dangerous and best avoided unless absolutely necessary. These operated as a means of containment, ensuring whatever was summoned couldn't escape—if done correctly. One mistake and things could go very wrong, very fast.
- Banishment Glyphs: Typically inscribed in places prone to hauntings or possessions. They worked by repelling negative energies and supernatural entities. He made a mental note to try crafting a few discreetly in his apartment.
Symbolism & Esoteric Knowledge:
One of the more abstract things he had absorbed was the meaning behind various symbols and their power.
- Triquetra & Other Protective Symbols: The triquetra was often associated with balance and protection, useful for warding off malevolent forces. He had also gained knowledge of Norse runes and their applications in protective spells.
- Angel Wards & Devil's Traps: The former was a means of keeping angels from tracking or interfering, while the latter was specifically designed to trap demons. Both required precise drawings and were often inscribed in hidden places.
Blood Magic Basics:
Blood magic was tricky—powerful but dangerous. It amplified spells and rituals but at a cost.
- Pros: Strengthens rituals, can be used in emergency warding, and is often necessary for dealing with ancient magic.
- Cons: Attracts unwanted attention, can have unpredictable consequences, and often binds the user to certain energies.
Exorcism Rites:
The knowledge he had gained detailed several variations of exorcisms.
- Latin Exorcisms: The standard approach to driving out demons. Repeating the rite with conviction was crucial.
- Sumerian & Other Ancient Rites: Used when standard exorcisms failed. These often required specific incantations and symbols.
Curse Breaking Techniques:
Curses ranged from simple bad luck hexes to full-blown life-draining afflictions.
- Practical Methods: Using herbs, cleansing rituals, and salt baths.
- Questionable Methods: Reversing the curse onto the caster, blood rituals.
Unknown & Dangerous Knowledge:
There were things in his head that he didn't fully understand yet. Concepts of reality manipulation, names that felt dangerous just to think about, rituals that made no sense but carried a weight of significance.
He wasn't about to test them anytime soon.
Alex leaned back, exhaling slowly. He had a lot to process. But at least now, he had a better grasp of what he was dealing with. The next step? Controlled experimentation. He wasn't going to rush into anything reckless, but he needed to confirm what was actually useful in practice.
One thing was certain—his world had changed. And he needed to be ready for whatever was coming next.