did not deserve a quick death

The artifact lay on Jensen’s workbench, illuminated by the harsh glow of fluorescent lights. Despite decades of experience as the museum’s lead curator of medieval weaponry, she had never encountered anything quite like it. The metal was dark, almost black, with an iridescent sheen that seemed to shift under her magnifying glass.

"Have you identified it?" Dr. Martinez asked from the doorway, his voice hushed with anticipation.

Jensen carefully rotated the object, noting the series of barbed hooks along its edge. Each was positioned with mathematical precision, designed to catch and tear flesh rather than slice cleanly through it. Her stomach turned as she traced the cruel geometry of its construction.

"It’s a variant of a Celtic war knife," she replied, keeping her voice steady. "Late 6th century, if I had to guess. But there’s something…​ different about it." She pointed to the intricate pattern etched into the blade. "See these grooves? They’re not decorative. They’re channels, possibly for delivering poison."

Martinez stepped closer, adjusting his glasses. "Poison? That seems excessive for a weapon already designed to maim."

"Whoever crafted this tool did not believe their enemies deserved a quick death." Jensen set down her magnifying glass with a soft click. "The craftsmanship is extraordinary, but there’s something almost obsessive in the detail. Each component was engineered to maximize suffering."

She began photographing the artifact from various angles, trying to maintain professional detachment. But as she documented the weapon’s features, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was looking at something more than just an instrument of war. This was a manifestation of hatred, preserved in metal and malice for over fourteen centuries.

"Where did you say this was found?" she asked, not looking up from her camera.

"That’s the strange part," Martinez replied. "It was discovered in a bog in northern Wales, wrapped in preserved leather and sealed in a box of yew wood. Almost as if someone wanted to ensure it would survive the centuries."

Jensen lowered her camera slowly. "Or as if they were trying to make sure it would be found."