As they drove away from the forest, the weight of the box seemed to grow heavier with each passing mile. Serena kept glancing at it, resting on Alexander's lap as he focused on the road ahead. Neither of them spoke much, their minds consumed with the implications of what they had just found. The cave, the ancient carvings, the strange box that radiated a quiet, unsettling energy—everything about it felt dangerous, and yet they had taken it.
Serena couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding, as if by removing the box from its hidden chamber, they had set something in motion that couldn't be undone. She stared out the window, watching the rain-soaked trees blur by as they left the dense forest behind. The drive back toward Prague was quiet, the weight of their discovery hanging heavy between them.
"We need to figure out what this thing is," Alexander finally said, breaking the silence.
"The box itself looks ancient, but there's more to it than just stone."
Serena nodded, her fingers tapping restlessly against her knee.
"I've been thinking about that. The carvings… they were almost like warnings. Maybe the people who created it didn't just hide it—they sealed it. To keep whatever's inside from being found."
Alexander's grip tightened on the steering wheel.
"If that's the case, then we're dealing with something far more dangerous than we thought. We need to be careful, Serena. This could be a repeat of the last artifact, or worse."
Serena's mind flashed back to their battle with Damon Hale, to the overwhelming power of the artifact that had nearly consumed her. The memory sent a shiver down her spine.
"I know. But we're more prepared this time. We're not going to make the same mistakes."
Alexander glanced at her, his expression serious.
"We can't afford to. If this artifact is anything like the last one, we need to neutralize it before anyone else finds out it exists."
Serena nodded in agreement.
"First, we need more information. We need to get this to Rebecca. She'll know where to start."
As they neared the outskirts of Prague, Serena's phone buzzed with a message. She glanced down and saw it was from Rebecca.
*Rebecca:* *Got your update. Meet me at the safe house. I'll be waiting.*
"Rebecca's ready for us," Serena said, showing Alexander the message.
"She'll meet us at the safe house."
Alexander gave a curt nod, taking a sharp turn toward the more secluded parts of the city where the safe house was located. The streets were quieter now, the bustle of Prague's city center behind them, but Serena couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't alone. She had been on edge ever since they left the cave, and the box sitting in the car with them only amplified her unease.
Finally, they pulled up in front of the safe house—a nondescript building nestled between a row of older, weathered buildings. It was the kind of place you wouldn't look twice at, hidden in plain sight. Perfect for the kind of work they were doing.
Rebecca was already waiting for them, her silhouette barely visible in the low light from the streetlamp. As soon as they stepped out of the car, Rebecca moved forward, her sharp eyes immediately locking onto the box Alexander carried.
"You found it," she said, her voice low but tinged with urgency.
"Come inside. We need to talk."
They followed her into the safe house, the door shutting behind them with a soft click. The interior of the safe house was sparse—just a few chairs, a table, and some scattered equipment. It was a place designed for discretion and efficiency, not comfort.
Alexander placed the box on the table, and the three of them gathered around it, the tension thick in the air.
Rebecca's eyes lingered on the box, her expression unreadable. "I've been digging into the local legends. The stories about a hidden relic in the forests outside Prague go back centuries, but no one has ever confirmed its existence. Until now."
She looked at Serena and Alexander, her tone serious.
"You need to be very careful. This thing has been locked away for a reason."
Serena nodded, her fingers brushing the surface of the box.
"We know. The carvings in the cave—they weren't just decorative. They felt like warnings. Whoever hid this didn't want it to be found."
Rebecca pulled out a small notebook from her bag, flipping through the pages as she spoke. "The stories I found mention something called the *Sangreal*—an ancient artifact with the power to manipulate life itself. Some legends say it was used by an ancient civilization to maintain control over their people, but it was lost when that civilization collapsed. The few who survived sealed it away, fearing its power would destroy them."
Serena's breath caught in her throat. "Manipulate life itself? What does that even mean?"
Rebecca shook her head. "The legends are vague, but if the *Sangreal* really can alter life—whether that's extending it, restoring it, or taking it away—it's dangerous beyond anything we've seen before. Imagine what someone like Damon Hale would do with that kind of power."
Serena's stomach twisted at the thought.
"We can't let this fall into the wrong hands. If it really has the power to control life…"
"We need to neutralize it," Alexander finished, his voice grim.
Rebecca nodded. "I've already started looking into ways to safely open the box, but it won't be easy. The artifact was sealed for a reason, and whatever safeguards were put in place, we need to respect them. If we try to force it open, we could release something we're not prepared to handle."
Serena stared at the box, her mind racing. "What if we just leave it sealed? We could hide it somewhere no one would ever find it."
Rebecca shook her head. "That's not a solution. You've already taken it from its resting place. Now that it's out in the open, others will be looking for it. You're not the only ones who know about the legends, and now that it's in your hands, it's only a matter of time before someone else comes for it."
Serena's pulse quickened.
"We can't let that happen."
"No," Rebecca agreed.
"Which is why we need to figure out how to neutralize it—safely. But first, we need to know what's inside."
The three of them stood in silence, the weight of the decision pressing down on them. They had found the artifact, but now they had to face the consequences of that discovery. Whatever was inside the box held the potential to change everything, for better or for worse.
Serena took a deep breath, her mind made up.
"We need to open it."
Rebecca looked at her sharply.
"Are you sure? Once we open it, there's no going back."
Serena nodded.
"We need to know what we're dealing with. If we're going to stop this from falling into the wrong hands, we can't be in the dark about what it is."
Alexander's jaw tightened, but he nodded in agreement.
"Let's do this. But we do it carefully."
Rebecca exhaled slowly, then stepped forward, pulling out a set of delicate tools from her bag.
"I'll do my best. But whatever happens, be ready."
Serena and Alexander exchanged a glance, their expressions grim but determined. They had come too far to back down now.
As Rebecca carefully began working on the box, Serena felt her heart pounding in her chest. Whatever was inside, it had been sealed away for centuries—locked away from the world for a reason. But now, they were about to uncover its secret.
And whatever that secret was, they had to be ready for it.