The soft hum of the equipment filled the safehouse as Rebecca continued running scans on the *Sangreal*, the artifact's faint glow pulsing rhythmically in the dimly lit room. Serena sat at the edge of the table, her eyes fixed on the deep red gem at the center of the artifact, the strange, almost hypnotic light playing across her face. The room felt charged, like they were standing at the edge of something immense, and that at any moment, everything could change.
"Anything new?"
Alexander asked, his voice cutting through the tension.
Rebecca shook her head without looking up from her data.
"Nothing definitive yet, but the energy readings are all over the place. This thing isn't just a relic. It's some kind of active force. We can't underestimate it."
Serena's unease grew. The more they learned, the more it became clear they were dealing with something far beyond their comprehension. The legends had been vague about what the *Sangreal* could do, but now, seeing it up close, she could feel its power—like a low hum beneath her skin, constantly there, lurking just beneath the surface.
"So what's our plan?" Serena asked, tearing her eyes away from the artifact to look at Alexander and Rebecca.
"We can't just sit here running tests forever. We need to figure out what we're going to do with this thing."
Alexander crossed his arms, his gaze hardening as he stared at the *Sangreal*. "We need more information. Right now, we know the legends, and we know this thing is powerful, but we don't know how it works or what it's capable of. Until we know that, we can't decide what to do with it."
Serena nodded, though the urgency in her gut made it hard to agree. They couldn't afford to wait too long. The *Sangreal* was too dangerous, and the longer they had it, the more likely it was that someone else would come looking for it. Whoever had hidden it in the cave centuries ago had done so for a reason, and now that it was out in the open, it was only a matter of time before word spread.
"I'll keep analyzing it," Rebecca said, glancing up at Serena and Alexander.
"But you're right. We can't keep it here for long. Once people find out what we've uncovered, we'll have a target on our backs. We need to stay ahead of that."
Serena stood up and began pacing the small room, her mind racing with possibilities.
"What if we took it to a secure location? Somewhere no one would think to look. We could buy ourselves some time to figure out how to either neutralize it or… or destroy it."
"Destroying it might not be possible," Rebecca said, her voice uncertain.
"Artifacts like this—if the legends are to be believed—are indestructible. The best we can hope for is to contain it."
Serena stopped pacing and turned to face them.
"Then that's what we do. We contain it. But we need a plan—something that makes sure no one can ever use it."
Alexander looked thoughtful, rubbing his chin.
"There might be a way. But we'll need to get creative."
Serena and Rebecca both looked at him expectantly.
"There are places in the world—remote, hidden places—where relics like this have been stored for centuries," Alexander explained.
"Sometimes, they're more than just hidden. They're protected by wards, traps, ancient magic that's been designed to keep these kinds of powers locked away forever."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow.
"And how do we find a place like that?"
"I know a few people who might have access to that kind of knowledge," Alexander said, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"They're not exactly trustworthy, but they have information. If we play it right, they might help us."
Serena felt a flicker of hope. "Then that's our next step. We need to find a place where this thing can be safely locked away. But we have to move fast. We don't know how much time we have before someone else catches wind of it."
Rebecca nodded in agreement. "I'll keep working on the data, see if I can figure out more about what the *Sangreal* is and what it's capable of. But I agree—we need to act fast. We can't afford to be reactive."
Alexander stepped away from the table, his eyes on the door as though he was already thinking about the next steps.
"I'll make a few calls. We'll need supplies and a secure way to transport the artifact. If we're going to take this thing anywhere, we need to be prepared."
Serena watched as he left the room, the weight of their task settling heavily on her shoulders. The *Sangreal* was unlike anything they had encountered before, and it was becoming clear that they weren't just dealing with an artifact. They were dealing with something far more dangerous—something alive, something that could tip the balance of power in the wrong hands.
"What if we're too late?" Serena asked quietly, her eyes still fixed on the box.
"What if someone already knows what we've found?"
Rebecca didn't answer right away, her fingers tapping thoughtfully on the table as she continued to review the data.
"We have to assume they will, eventually," she said finally. "But until they do, we have a chance to stop this. We've done it before, Serena. We can do it again."
Serena wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe that they were in control, that they could protect the world from the dangers of the *Sangreal*. But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that they had already set something in motion that couldn't be stopped.
A soft beeping sound broke the silence, and Rebecca glanced down at one of the machines she had set up. Her expression shifted, her eyes narrowing as she leaned closer to the screen.
"What is it?"
Serena asked, stepping forward.
Rebecca hesitated, her face grim.
"I'm getting a strange reading. The energy from the *Sangreal* is fluctuating. It's as though… it's reacting to something."
Serena's pulse quickened.
"Reacting to what?"
"I don't know," Rebecca said, her voice laced with concern.
"But whatever it is, it's growing stronger."
Before Serena could respond, the lights in the room flickered. A low hum filled the air, the same hum she had felt in the cave. The artifact's glow intensified, the pulsing red light growing brighter as the energy in the room surged.
"Something's happening," Serena said, backing away from the table as the hum grew louder.
Rebecca scrambled to shut down the machines, her fingers flying over the controls. "The artifact's energy is spiking! We need to—"
Before she could finish, a sharp crack echoed through the room. The air around the *Sangreal* shimmered, and for a brief moment, the light from the gem flared so brightly that Serena had to shield her eyes.
Then, just as quickly as it had started, the light dimmed. The hum faded, leaving the room eerily quiet.
Serena lowered her hand and stared at the artifact. The *Sangreal* was still sitting on the table, its glow faint but steady. But something had changed. The air in the room felt different, heavier, charged with an energy that hadn't been there before.
Rebecca's voice was tight with worry.
"That wasn't supposed to happen."
Serena's heart pounded in her chest.
"What just happened?"
"I think…" Rebecca swallowed hard, her eyes wide with realization.
"I think the artifact is waking up."
Serena's blood ran cold.
If the *Sangreal* was waking up, then the real danger had only just begun.