The Present:
The night finally descends, I found myself lying face up on my bed wide awake and lost in thought, staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep. My mind filled with memories of my dad's letter from my father's journal.
You see unlike mom who got taken by the box, dad left on his own. He wanted to investigate why the box had taken mom and the others but not me or Cleona. But he left and never returned. I can't say of a certain if he's dead or alive, but one thing's for sure... I still intend to find him.
Breaking out of thought, I let out a sigh of exhaustion before sitting up. Running a hand through my hair before reaching for my phone to check the time. It was barely three in the morning. Just then, a glowing light caught my attention, it came from my bag.
Curious, I approached cautiously, only to discover it was my drawing from earlier. You see, I had earlier sketched a drawing of the mysterious box from my dream. Can't say I had a reason for it though. Just instinct.
Startled by the glowing drawing, I quickly withdraw from it. But as I withdraw I accidentally knocked down my bag from the desk causing it to tumble, and my father's journal sprawls out onto the floor.
The journal flips open as it hit the ground, and some runes text inscribed on the page began to glow, seemingly emerging from the pages. This also happens with the sketch as the drawing from within surfaced itself into the air detaching from the pages. Without hesitation they flew towards the drawing, hovering above it with the runes text now rotating above it like a ring. The speed at which they rotate began to accelerate, forming a brilliant halo of light around it, intensifying by every passing second.
I was forced to cover my eyes in order to avoid getting blinded by the overwhelming light.
Finally, the sketch merges with the runic text, transforming into a small orb of light that rockets itself as a beam, heading straight for me before hitting me on the neck.
I screamed out in pain, finally waking up from yet another nightmare. Just then, I felt a burning sensation building up from the side of my neck, which provokes me to rush out of bed and head for the bathroom. I stopped by the sink mirror, gazing at my reflection, only to notice there was a peculiar triquetra shaped tattoo adorning my neck.
My eyes widen in disbelief as I hastily attempt to rub it off, only to realize it's actually a permanent tattoo.
"But how?" I struggle to ask, rushing back to my room where I had left my bag. I began to search through it, only to discover my sketch and father's journal were both missing.
I then had a flashback to my conversation with Chloe, recalling her words;
"I came to see you for two reasons. The first is to warn you about the artifact. Should you ever come in contact with it, don't hesitate to call me right away. Secondly, to invite you to join us, so we can fully unravel this mystery, that is, if you wish.
We'll be revisiting the temple tomorrow to commence further research. With you, alongside, maybe we can finally understand why your father claimed you were the key." With that, the flashback ended.
I hurried back to the bed, picking my phone and Chloe's card. I then dialed the number, waiting for a response.
"Chloe here kind of busy at the moment, so just leave your message after the beep."
Beep!
"Hey Chloe, it's me Damian." I said, placing my hand on the side of my neck, covering the tattoo.
"We need to talk." I added, a frightened expression forming from my face and urgency in my voice.
The scene then shifts to a small town off the coast of Icarus where we see the box artifact hovering in the air. The street had already been closed down as we see multiple police vehicles sealing off one end of the street, and on the other end, military personnel with their armor tank and other heavy machineries all aimed at the box. They all took solitude behind their various vehicles, ready to fire at any given time.
"Open fire!" The commander gave the order.
Hearing this, they all opened fire at the box who tanked all their attack, thanks to its energy field which suspended all the bullets in the air as it redirected them back to them, sending bullet flying in all direction and forcing them to take cover.
With that, it releases a massive outburst of energy, rippling outwards like a pulsating orb of destruction, taking out everything within a diameter of four square-miles.
Watching all this unfold through a flat screen was the president and other federal agents who showed sigh of shock, sadness and concern.
A chopper could be seen making it way to land as it drops off on a helipad. Myself, Chloe, and two others could be seen stepping out of the chopper. We were greeted and welcomed by some other federal agents.
We had just arrived at Samothrace island, where we met up with the rest of Chloe's crew. We decide to head back to camp at first, but after Chloe got a call asking her to head to the tower that they had found something important, we all head out toward what seemed like an abandoned mine. Everyone drops off by the entrance, gearing up as they prepared to enter the mine. Except for me, of course. I stood there by the entrance, putting on my backpack as I gripped on to it loop firmly. I closed my eyes for a second, releasing a sigh before reopening them, wearing a serious facial expression.
"You just hang in there dad, I'm coming to find you." I said, entering a determined look on my face.
After the incident that occurred last night with my dad's journal and my sketch, I finally decided on getting some answers, but In order to do so I must first undercover the truth behind my father's disappearance and its relationship to the mysterious box hunting me. Talk about a wake-up call.
"Your first time?" Chloe asked, trying to make conversation with me.
"Yeah." I answered, still holding on to the straps of my bag.
"You nervous?" She asked.
"Well a little." I replied.
"Don't be. You're archeology student, right? Just think of it as your first internship program." She said with a bright smile.
"That's not the angle I was looking at things from. I was just wondering about my dad. Like, what if I finally unravel the mystery behind my dad's disappearance and the reason this box artifact is chasing after me, and both are not to my liking, what then? Do I just return to my old life or does things changes for me? What would become of me, what would be my next line of action?" I replied, airing my thoughts.
"I mean reading my dad's journal I discovered something, most of what was written was actually written out of fear and then I still have to consider the possibility of that artifact chasing me, may be as a result of my father's action or something." I added.
"Jeez kid, that's a lot to take in, but if you ask me, I'll ask you to deal with things one at a time okay. Focus on the things you can change and not on the once you can't change. The universe after all has a way of resolving itself." She advice.
"That said, buckle up we're here." She informed as wee stood by the entrance to what seemed like another dimension. The sight after the entrance was a split word, one side normal, the other a world of ruine no floor, no sky just a bottom less pit with several boulder and rumbles floating around. The monastery where we were headed was caught in the crossfire.
We made our way for the entrance, a massive door which seemed lock at the moment but with little push it slides open, unraveling the dazzling beauty of the monastery within.
"Woah!" I exclaimed out of awe, seeing the architect of the temple. It was massively big and beautiful. it had it own artificial source of light. A massive blue orb of light at the center and just beneath it a small alter. Several massive pillars could be seen supporting the monastery frame, and on them runic text carved boldly on it and walls of the place.
With that we head in, only to discover the rest of the crew trying to decipher the words written on the wall. Chloe is however called regarding some sort of text they had managed to decipher. So, I decided to stroll around, appreciating the beautiful architecture of the place. I however came across what seemed like an altar, same as the one from my dream. That's when it occurred to me —This place was also from my dream.
I stared dead at the sacred text imprinted on the body of the altar trying to make sense of it, slowly my vision became blurry for a few seconds as the text imprinted on the altar began to transform, translating itself in my eyes. I was suddenly caught in a trance where I began to see multiple images flashing through my eyes. With that, I subconsciously began to read out the words the way I saw them, and it quotes;
"From the sky the great light falls,
The Master's flame within us calls.
By His power we stand and strive,
Our souls shine strong in endless light.
But those unworthy, filled with pride,
Shall face His wrath and cannot hide."
Just as I finish quoting, the sacred text begins to glow as they flew out of the altar, merging together into a single entity, the tattoo on my neck also resonates with this as it begins to glow.
In a loud Boom! A porthole appears as the box artifact emerges from it. The after wave of the porthole appearing sends out an outburst of wind knocking everyone away, sending them flying backwards across several meters.
Everyone had managed to retain their consciousness as they tried to figure out what had happened. As they could only watch the box emerging from the porthole.
I was still struggling to retain consciousness after being knocked into one of the temple's pillars.
I could only watch paralyzed in fear, thinking back to my dream and how it had come to hunt me.
But as the box approached, it suddenly stopped, suspended in the air, then slowly begins to withdraw, retreating back to the altar as it hovers above it.
Second evolution protocol now running at zero percent (0%) complete, one percent (1%) complete, two percent (2%) complete, three percent (3%) complete…>