The golden rays of the setting sun bathed the quiet suburban street in a warm glow, a sliver blue colored gtb 296 Ferrari rolled into the driveway, crunching on the gravel as it came to a stop. The door swings open as professor Basil climbs out of the car, trudging towards the front door.
He had arrived home just in time for dinner, welcomed by the aroma of a home-cooked meal.
"I'm home!" He exclaimed, alerting the house of his arrival.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps came from the kitchen, and his wife Stella appeared, her face a mix of surprise and delight.
"Honey! You're home." She exclaimed, rushing forward to embrace him.
Damian, hearing his father's voice rushed forward, his face alight with joy.
"Dad, Dad! Guess what? I aced my tests!" He exclaims in excitement, his enthusiasm infectious.
"Really? That's incredible Damian!" Professor Basil exclaimed, tousling his son's hair affectionately. "I'm so proud of you."
Stella chuckled, her eyes twinkling with maternal warmth.
"Dinner's almost ready." She informed, helping him put away his things.
"Why don't you go freshen up while I finish dinner." She added with a wink before heading back for the kitchen.
It wasn't long before the family is seen seated over dinner, Professor Basil regaled his family with tales of his latest archaeological endeavors, sparing them the intricacies of ancient symbols and artifacts but painting vivid pictures of distant lands and the thrill of discovery. Damian listens with wide-eyes wonder, occasionally interjecting with questions that brought smiles to his parents' faces.
As they cleared the dinner table and settled into the living room, a sense of contentment settled over the family. Damian's eyelids grew heavy, prompting Stella to gently guide him upstairs to prepare for bed. A short while after, she returns to her husband.
Alone with her husband, Stella turned to Professor Basil, her expression filled with curiosity.
"So, how was your trip? Any exciting discoveries?"
Professor Basil's gaze softens as he met his wife's eyes. "It was… eventful." He replied cryptically, his thoughts drifting back to the runes and the mysterious crest.
"About that, there's something we need to talk about."
"Honey?" He began, "I know you don't like talking about your family or related stuff but please I need this information." He opened up.
"…" Stella stared lost, trying to understand why he would bring up her family into an archeology discovering of his.
"What do you know about your family crest, probably about its origin?" He inquired his facial expression turning to that of curiosity and anticipation.
His wife, caught off guard by the unexpected inquiry, furrowed her brow in thought.
"Why are you asking?" She replied, a little confused.
I stumbled upon something intriguing during my latest expedition. I think it has something to do with your family's crest although I'm not entirely sure." He replied.
Stella let's out a sigh before beginning.
"I don't know much about my family Crest or heritage since I tried all my to stay away from it. However, my mother once mentioned something about the crest, it being a reminder of some sort of curse or ominous legacy within our family." She replied hesitantly.
"A curse?" Professor Basil's interest piqued further.
"Well that's quite intriguing. I came across similar crest from the ruins—a monastery hidden deep beneath the earth." He said passing her the photographs he had taken of the crest from the temple's door and altar, along with the image of the mysterious box found within the monastery.
"Look." He continues, pointing to the symbols.
"These are unmistakably similar to your family's crest, right? I need to understand if there's any connection between your lineage and this ancient site." He said to his wife who was still studying the images closely, her expression a mix of surprise and contemplation. "This is remarkable!" She murmurs, tracing the intricate patterns with her finger.
"I never imagined that our family's crest could have ties to such an ancient place. But what does this mean, honey? Why are you investigating this?" She asked, an innocent tone in her voice.
Professor Basil sighs in exhaustion, realizing the weight of his revelation.
"At first I wanted to confirm if maybe it could help me decipher the inscription in the runes. But now with what you said I believe there's a hidden history waiting to be uncovered, a story that links your family's past to these ruins. If there's indeed a curse or legacy, understanding it could shed light on the secrets of this monastery and its artifacts." He informed, his wife nodding slowly, her eyes reflecting a blend of curiosity and apprehension.
"Honestly speaking, I never really paid much attention to my family affairs, crest and heritage. To think it'll come back to haunt me this way. Well if there's anything you need to find out about my family origin and history, I suggest you ask my sister or my mom." She replied, a sad look clouding her face.
"If it's that important, I can call my mom and have you discuss it over with her." She added in suggestion.
"Don't bother about it. As of now the only thing I want to think of is the two most important people in my life." He replies, kissing her in the cheek.
"I'll go ahead to bed now, maybe we can continue the discussion tomorrow." He added, exiting the dining room.
"I'll join you soon enough." She replied, motioning for him to go up ahead without her.
Just as he left, Stella stared to the ceiling for a while before reaching to pull a lock of hair over her shoulder, and held it in front of her, studying it quietly. She finally decided to pick up her phone and dialed up her mother's number. Not long a response came in.
"Hello, my darling" The voice opens up, soft and comforting.
"Sorry for calling at this time mom, but is it okay if I asked about our family crest." She replied.
"Really? Is there anything to it? I thought you've always hated everything that had to do with our family." Her mother questioned in reply.
"Naturally I would pay no attention to this, but you know how I told you my husband was away for work? Well it turns out he discovered something that he and I thinks may be related to our family crest, an ancient rune bearing the crest and what's more surprising is the box from the crest was also seen in the rune." She informed her mother.
"The box, huh? I see. Stop by my place tomorrow and I'll tell you everything you need to know. Bring your husband along. He needs to know the danger of what he's tempering with." Her mother warned, her tone now fierce and serious. with that the call hangs up.
"Tsk, that sliming old hag, always keeping things from me huh?" She said dropping her phone as she heads for bed. Seeing her husband still awake she narrates the conversation she had with her mother, sparing no details.
"I see, it's just as expected. It's related to your family crest after all. Sorry for the trouble." He apologized.
"Honey, can you open a special slot for me to join in on your research?" She requested.
"Sure, I'll see what I can do." He replied, grabbing hold of his wife hand.
The night sky fades giving way for the morning sky, Professor Basil and his wife had dropped off Damian with his aunt before heading out to see his mother in-law.