A silver Honda creaked slightly as it rolled to a stop in front of the school gates. Aunt Amma was at the wheel. She looked back at me and Cleona with a soft smile. Cleona, my identical cousin sat beside me, staring out the window, earbuds in. Same gold eye color, same face, same hair color. Only she was the opposite gender. Her expression was distant, almost resentful, like the very idea of school weighed her down.
We both grabbed our backpacks from the seat and stepped out of the car, waving goodbye to Aunt Amma. Cleona walked ahead without a word. I followed behind, my backpack slung over one shoulder. The morning air was crisp as I stepped through the front gates of the school.
It was summer, meaning we'd officially made it halfway through the semester. Something about this time of year always made me a bit more reflective, more tuned in to the subtle shifts happening around me and within me.
As a second-year archaeology student, I'd become more aware of the little changes in myself, like how my medium-length, wavy silver hair now caught the sunlight more easily, probably thanks to the relaxer giving it that smooth, reflective sheen.
I'd even noticed a slight boost in height, just tipping over 5'8". It may seem small, but it feels like a big deal, especially when you spend most of your days hunched over excavation notes and artifact trays. Not bad at all for your average sixteen-year-old. I dare say.
The courtyard was already buzzing with students, some huddled in groups, others rushing to finish homework before the first bell. I wasn't rushing, just simply enjoying the walk, when a familiar voice called out from behind me. "Yo, Damien!"
I turned back to see Ryan jogging up, a wide grin on his face and a manga volume clutched in his hand.
"Did you read the latest chapter of Raven's Colosseum yet?" He began, flipping the book open as he fell into step beside me.
"That's one way to start an early morning conversation. Anyway no I haven't read it." I replied casually, fully aware he was about to recount the entire issue.
"No way, man!" He exclaimed, eyes alight with excitement.
"The cliffhanger was insane. Can you believe they un—" He began.
"Nope, no spoilers allowed." I interjected, cutting him off before he could ruin the surprise.
He shook his head, feigning concern. "You're missing out on so much Bro." He said out of pity.
"I know, I know. But with the exams coming up, there's only so much free time I can spare." I said, shrugging.
"Speaking of which, how's your preparation for today's test?" I added in question.
Ryan's eyes widened, panic flashing across his face. "Wait, that's today?"
I sighed, shaking my head. "You're hopeless."
Ryan rushed off in a panic, probably to revise for the test. I chuckled and kept walking to class. But as I stepped onto the main pathway to the hallway entrance, something changed. A subtle, almost invisible pressure filled the air.
I stopped mid-step.
For a moment, everything around me. The chatter of students, the rustling leaves, the distant sound of a car horn, all went dull. A faint ringing pulsed in my ears, and a cold sensation crawled up my spine, like unseen fingers tracing my skin. It wasn't fear, not exactly, but an instinctual awareness. Something was… off.
I hadn't felt this way in a while, not since that day. Eight years ago, so why now?
.
.
.
The scene opens in a dimly lit hallway, footsteps echoing as two federal agents stride side by side. Agent Carter scrolls through a tablet, scanning the latest report, while Agent Reynolds walks beside her, his expression unreadable. They both knew the urgency. This was just the confirmation they had been dreading.
"Let me get this straight…" Reynolds starts, his tone edged with skepticism.
"You're telling me the shipment crew called and said the artifact somehow came to life?" Carter exhales, still fixated on the screen.
"Not quite sure myself sir. The distress call was filled with static. But 'the artifact is alive.' That's the only part we could make out before the signal went dead."
Reynolds runs a hand through his hair, his jaw tightening.
"And then?"
"Nothing. We're still trying to pin point their last location as well as the location of the box." Carter confirms.
A heavy silence settles between them as they near the reinforced door at the end of the hall. Without hesitation, Carter presses her ID to the scanner. The door hisses open, revealing the control room buzzing with activity.
Inside, the cyber team were already deep in their work, screens flickering with data, radar scans, and live feeds. A massive monitor displays the ship's last known location. Upon their entry, one of the technicians turns to them, his face tense.
"Agents Carter, Agent Reynolds?" He starts.
"We ran the analyses, like you asked." He pauses, fingers tapping over the keyboard. The monitor shifts, revealing documents, images, and classified reports, each one centered on the artifact. 'The box.'
The technician glances at them before continuing.
"You might want to sit for this." Carter and Reynolds exchange looks. Then, without a word, they step forward.
The test hall was silent, save for the occasional scribbling of pens against paper. Rows of students sat hunched over their desks, heads bowed in deep concentration. I sat among them, my gaze fixed on the ancient stone tablet before me. Its surface was rough, covered in worn symbols that seemed to whisper secrets only the right mind could unlock.
The test was simple—Decipher the text on the stone tablet, determine its origin and possibly the era it's from.
I ran a hand through my hair, exhaled softly, then lowered my pen to the exam sheet. My name, Damian Basil, was neatly written at the top. I glanced between the tablet and my paper, deciphering the patterns, piecing together meanings, and translating them into words. At first, everything made sense. Then, it didn't. A dull ache formed at the back of my skull, creeping forward like a slow-moving tide. I tried to ignore it, focusing on the next set of symbols, but the pain sharpened. The carvings on the stone seemed to shift, twisting in ways they shouldn't. My breath hitched. I blinked hard, but the dizziness didn't fade. The letters on my paper blurred, my grip on the pen unsteady. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, drowning out the quiet of the room. Something was wrong. The pain turned into a sharp, searing pulse behind my eyes. The exam hall around me felt distant, like I was slipping away from reality itself. My fingers went numb, the pen slipping from my grasp and then, everything went black.
Meanwhile back at the federal agency…The hum of computers filled the dimly lit room as Cisco's fingers danced across the keyboard, his eyes locked onto the screen. The team had been chasing leads for hours, piecing together fragments of research, old reports, and cryptic messages about the relic. But this… this was the breakthrough they needed. Agent Reynolds paced restlessly behind him, his arms crossed. Agents Carter stood nearby, her face tight with concern.
"Seems our mysterious box made an appearance eight years ago" Cisco informed, his voice steady but grim.
"Everyone at that fun park were reported to have disappeared except for one kid. And according to his testimony, the box kept chanting No suitable vessel found." He explained.
"This all look like a Sci-fi play, what's your take on it Agent Reynolds?"
"On the ship, the logs said the box was searching for a vessel right? And on the picture that came after the distress call, we learned the artifact left an inscription which said to prepare for a god to be born." Agent Reynolds motioned, pacing around as he combined clues trying to fully comprehend the situation at hand.
"Where are you getting with this?" Agents Carter question.
Cisco clicked his tongue.
"What if it's more than that? What if it's… a parasite? A sentient entity looking for a host." Cisco shouted following Agent Reynolds lead.
"Exactly, That would explain why the people in the park had disappeared. The box rejected them. But then, why had the boy survived?" Agent Reynolds supports, stepped forward, urgency creeping into his voice.
"We need to know more about him. If he was there when the box was active, if it almost chose him, he might be the key to understanding what we're dealing with." He added.
Cisco nodded, already working. "On it." His hands flew across the keys, running a deep search. The screen flickered, loading. Then, a single image popped up. A teenage boy with medium length wavy hair pattern and a gold piercing eyes stared back at them. Below, his name and details appeared in bold text.
Name: Damian Basil, Age: 16 (...)
"Basil huh? Didn't we use to have a Basil working on this case?" Agent carter chime, motioning to the screen.
"If I remember correctly, an there was an archeologist who went mad after trying to decipher the runes of the monastery and I think his surname was Basil." She added.
"Cisco check for any relationship between the kid and the Professor." She ordered.
Without hesitation Cisco went to work, and more images and details popped up on screen as we see a picture of this professor Basil
"No, way!" Cisco exclaimed in shock.
"The kid's Professor Basil's son." He tells them.
"Just hold on for a second, how does one family get tied up in this mess of a mystery?" Agent Reynolds questioned.
"This is all turing out to be a drag. Get me one of the lower deck agent, we're going to have a talk with this Damian Basil." Reynolds said as he walk out of the room.
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/>Thank you for reading<\