Unshadowed Crucifix

The Unshadowed Crucifix is a bronze cross formed when golden divine blood from the ancient sun god fell upon an ordinary silver crucifix. It carries Sequence 4 Unshadowed power: it can heal and purify, but its continuous radiance also drives Beyonder characteristics out of nearby creatures.

History

Recovery and Klein's experiments

Fors and Xio recover the crucifix during the operation against Viscount Stratford and sacrifice it to Klein. His tests above the gray fog establish both its Sun-domain utility and its severe drawback: prolonged exposure can make a Beyonder lose a Sequence, while even marionettes begin praising the Sun and attempting to escape control. (Chapters 1033–1034 and 1063)

City of Silver custody and transformation

Klein sends the crucifix to the City of Silver, where Derrick and other residents rotate custody so no one remains close enough to lose a characteristic. Its purification and healing support the expedition through the Giant King's Court and later contact with Moon City. (Chapters 1093, 1114–1116, and 1218–1227)

At Moon City, the artifact is shattered and processed into the Unshadowed demigod potion that Derrick consumes. A later Historical Void summoning of the former crucifix does not restore the original. Adam eventually reveals that placing the artifact in Klein's path also helped steer him toward opening the Giant King's Court; that manipulation explains the larger arrangement, not a surviving crucifix. (Chapters 1227, 1236, and 1345)

Abilities and properties

• It produces demigod-level Sun effects, including intense purification, Flaring Sun-like radiance, healing, and the removal of corruption or abnormal conditions. Results depend on the target and cannot be treated as a cure for every high-level influence. (Chapters 1033–1034 and 1218–1227)
• Continuous proximity expels Beyonder characteristics. Klein estimates that roughly three hours of exposure would make him fall from Sequence 4 to Sequence 5; longer exposure can continue the regression until an affected person becomes ordinary. (Chapter 1063)
• The expulsion effect also disrupts marionettes and other supernatural dependents. Klein's marionettes begin recovering human behavior, praise the Sun, and resist control, making the artifact unsafe to carry continuously. (Chapter 1063)
• Rotating custodians limits any one person's exposure, while storage above the gray fog or other strong sealing arrangements isolate the effect. After the crucifix is broken down, these artifact-level powers no longer remain in the original object. (Chapters 1063, 1093, and 1227)

Ownership and custody