A “blank” for a future artifact, the Proto-Onion absorbs radioactive particles from the surrounding area and uses them as “fuel” for its own development. Maturing inside an anomaly, it eventually becomes a fully-fledged artifact, most often an Onion. If this artifact is extracted from an anomaly in time, its development stops. It will never become a true Onion, but it retains its ability to absorb and contain radiation. However, the side effect of wearing this artifact is a slight feeling of fatigue.