The room was unnaturally still, the only sound the faint humming of the *Sangreal*, now seemingly alive with a pulse that matched the racing heartbeat in Serena's chest. The realization that the artifact was waking up filled her with a new sense of urgency, but also a gnawing fear. They were no longer dealing with something dormant—they had unknowingly set in motion forces they couldn't fully comprehend.
Serena's eyes locked on Rebecca, who was frantically checking her instruments, her hands trembling slightly as she adjusted the readings.
"This wasn't supposed to happen," Rebecca muttered under her breath.
"The artifact wasn't supposed to react this way—not until we did something to trigger it."
Alexander re-entered the room, his calm expression quickly shifting to one of alarm as he saw the glow emanating from the *Sangreal*.
"What the hell is going on?" he demanded, his voice tight with tension.
"The artifact—it's reacting to something, but we don't know what," Serena explained, trying to steady her own breathing. "Rebecca said it's waking up."
Alexander's eyes darkened.
"Waking up? Does that mean it's active now?"
Rebecca shook her head, still focused on the data in front of her.
"Not fully. But something has changed. The energy readings are spiking, and it's like the artifact is becoming more aware of its surroundings."
Serena clenched her fists, her thoughts racing. This wasn't what they had planned. They had been careful, they hadn't touched the artifact directly, and yet it was responding to something. Something they couldn't see or control.
"Do we know what could have triggered it?" Alexander asked, moving closer to the table, though he kept his distance from the *Sangreal*.
Rebecca hesitated. "I don't know. It could be proximity to certain energy sources, or it could be reacting to us—our presence, our emotions. But whatever the cause, we need to act fast before it fully activates. If it does, there's no telling what might happen."
Serena's stomach twisted. They had retrieved the artifact to keep it out of the wrong hands, but now it seemed like it was the artifact itself that was the threat.
"We need to contain it," Alexander said firmly.
"We can't afford to let it get any stronger."
Rebecca nodded, her eyes flicking to the equipment scattered around the room. "I might be able to rig up a temporary containment field, but it won't hold if the artifact continues to grow in power. We need a more permanent solution, and fast."
Serena took a deep breath, trying to focus through the rising panic.
"You said earlier that there are places where artifacts like this can be contained. How do we get access to one of those places?"
Alexander's jaw tightened. "I know a guy who might be able to help, but he's not someone we can trust completely. He's... in the business of dealing with artifacts, but his motivations aren't exactly altruistic."
Serena frowned.
"Do we have any other options?"
Rebecca shook her head.
"Not if we want to keep the *Sangreal* out of the wrong hands. We're running out of time."
Alexander glanced at Serena, his expression torn.
"If we contact him, we need to be ready for the fact that he might try to take the artifact for himself. But right now, I don't see any other choice. He has the resources to help us, and we don't."
Serena nodded, though the thought of relying on someone untrustworthy made her uneasy. Still, they were out of options. The longer they waited, the greater the risk that the *Sangreal* would become uncontrollable.
"Do it," Serena said, her voice steady despite the fear gnawing at her.
"Contact him. We'll handle whatever comes next."
Alexander pulled out his phone and stepped into the other room to make the call, leaving Serena and Rebecca alone with the artifact. The pulsing glow of the *Sangreal* cast eerie shadows across the room, and Serena couldn't shake the feeling that the artifact was watching them, biding its time.
"Is there anything else we can do right now?" Serena asked, her voice low.
Rebecca frowned, her gaze still on the machines.
"For now, we need to monitor it closely. If its energy levels spike again, we'll know it's close to full activation. Until then, I'll work on containing the energy as best I can."
Serena nodded, though she felt helpless. They had come so far, fought so hard to protect the world from artifacts like this, and now they were standing on the edge of disaster. The *Sangreal* wasn't just an object—it was a force, something alive and ancient, and they were dangerously unprepared for it.
Minutes passed in tense silence, the soft hum of the machines filling the room as Rebecca worked. Serena watched her carefully, trying to make sense of the data on the screens, but it was all too foreign to her. What mattered was the growing energy inside the *Sangreal*—the pulse of power that seemed to be growing stronger with each passing moment.
Finally, Alexander returned, his expression grim.
"He agreed to meet us," he said, his voice tight.
"But we need to move fast. He won't wait for long, and if anyone else finds out what we're carrying, we could be in serious trouble."
Serena's pulse quickened.
"Where are we meeting him?"
"An old estate on the outskirts of the city," Alexander replied.
"It's secluded, but that also means we'll be vulnerable. We need to be ready for anything."
Rebecca stood, gathering her equipment as she spoke.
"I'll finish setting up a containment field. It won't last forever, but it'll buy us time until we can figure out a more permanent solution."
Serena's heart pounded as they began preparing to transport the *Sangreal*. Every second felt like a countdown, the danger of the artifact growing more palpable with each pulse of light. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into something far more dangerous than they realized, but they didn't have a choice.
As they carefully secured the artifact and prepared to leave, Serena took one last glance at the glowing red gem. It had been sealed away for centuries, hidden from the world for a reason.
Now it was in their hands.
And it was waking up.
As they moved toward the door, Serena's resolve hardened. They had fought too hard to let the *Sangreal* fall into the wrong hands. No matter what it took, they would contain it—before it was too late.
The stakes had never been higher, and the road ahead was filled with uncertainty.
But there was no turning back now.