Serena could feel the weight of the plan pressing down on her as they made their way back to the cabin. Jonas had given them just enough information to sketch the outline of the mission, but there were still too many variables, too many unknowns. Breaking into the Covenant's vault wasn't just dangerous—it was near impossible. But that didn't matter now. With Alexander in their hands, and the threat of the *Sangreal* and *Crux Ignis* looming, they didn't have a choice.
Once back at the cabin, Serena sat at the table, staring at the map Jonas had provided. It was crude—hand-drawn and lacking in details—but it gave them a rough idea of the Covenant's compound and the locations of potential entry points. Rebecca sat across from her, typing furiously on her laptop, pulling up any additional information she could find on the Covenant's security systems.
"We'll have to go in at night," Serena said, tracing her finger along the map. "Jonas mentioned there's a side entrance near the north wing of the compound, close to the forest. The security there is lighter, but we'll still have to deal with patrols."
Rebecca nodded, her eyes scanning the screen. "I'm pulling up the blueprints now. The compound is heavily fortified, but Jonas was right about one thing—most of the security is concentrated around the vault itself. If we can get through the outer defenses without being detected, we might have a chance."
Serena's mind raced. The plan was simple in theory: break into the compound, access the vault, retrieve the *Sangreal* and *Crux Ignis*, and get out before the Covenant realized what had happened. But in practice, it was going to be far more complicated. The Covenant's facility was one of the most secure places in the world, designed specifically to contain the most dangerous artifacts in existence. And Serena and Rebecca were about to walk straight into it.
"You know this is a long shot, right?" Rebecca said, glancing up from her screen. "We're going up against some of the most powerful people in the world. If we get caught—"
"We won't get caught," Serena interrupted, her voice firm.
"We can't. We've faced worse before. We just need to stay sharp."
Rebecca gave a small nod, though Serena could see the doubt in her eyes. "What about Alex?" Rebecca asked quietly.
"We can't just leave him behind."
Serena clenched her fists, the thought of Alexander still trapped inside the Covenant's walls gnawing at her. "We're not leaving him," she said, her voice tight.
"Once we get the artifacts, we'll use them to leverage his release. The Covenant wants power, and they think they have the upper hand. But if we take the artifacts from them, we'll be the ones holding the cards."
Rebecca hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Okay. Let's do this."
The rest of the day passed in a blur of preparation. Serena and Rebecca gathered everything they would need for the mission—gear, tools, weapons, anything that could give them an edge. As the sun set behind the mountains, casting long shadows across the cabin, the weight of what they were about to do settled heavily on Serena's shoulders.
This wasn't just about stealing artifacts or rescuing Alexander. This was about taking control of their fate. The Covenant had manipulated them, used Alexander as a pawn, and threatened to hoard unimaginable power. Serena wasn't going to let that happen.
As night fell, they loaded their gear into the car and set off toward the Covenant's compound. The drive was tense, both of them too focused to speak much. Serena's mind was locked on the plan—every step, every possible contingency. There could be no mistakes.
By the time they arrived at the edge of the forest near the north wing of the compound, the moon was high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the landscape. The compound loomed in the distance, its stone walls barely visible through the trees. Serena parked the car a short distance away, and they slipped out into the cold night air, pulling their gear bags over their shoulders.
"Ready?" Serena whispered, glancing at Rebecca.
Rebecca nodded, her face set in determination.
"Let's get this done."
They moved silently through the trees, their footsteps muffled by the thick layer of leaves on the forest floor. The air was crisp, the sounds of the night—rustling leaves, distant animal calls—heightening their senses. Every shadow seemed to hide a potential threat, but they pressed on, keeping their focus on the mission ahead.
When they reached the edge of the compound's outer wall, Serena knelt down, studying the patrol patterns Jonas had mentioned. Two guards moved along the north wing, their flashlights cutting through the darkness as they walked in a slow, deliberate pace. Serena's pulse quickened. Timing was everything now.
"We'll go when they round the corner," she whispered to Rebecca.
"That gives us a thirty-second window before they come back around."
Rebecca nodded, adjusting the small pack on her back that contained their gear.
"Got it."
The guards rounded the corner, and Serena motioned for them to move. They darted across the open space, their footsteps silent as they pressed themselves against the stone wall. Serena quickly pulled out a small device, attaching it to the wall near the door Jonas had told them about. The device hummed softly as it worked, overriding the lock mechanism.
After a tense moment, the door clicked open.
"We're in," Serena whispered, pulling the door open just wide enough for them to slip through.
Inside, the air was colder, the walls lined with dark stone that seemed to absorb the light from their flashlights. They moved quickly through the narrow hallways, guided by the map Jonas had given them. Every turn felt like a gamble—any wrong step could trigger an alarm, or worse, alert the Covenant's security team.
They reached the vault door faster than Serena had expected. It was massive, made of reinforced steel with intricate carvings along the edges. Serena's heart raced as she knelt in front of the control panel, pulling out the tools she would need to bypass the security system.
"This is it," Serena whispered, her fingers working quickly to override the system. "Once we get inside, we grab the artifacts and get out."
Rebecca kept a lookout, her eyes scanning the hallway behind them.
"No pressure or anything."
Serena worked quickly, her pulse hammering in her ears. The minutes felt like hours, but finally, with a soft click, the vault door began to slide open.
They stepped inside, and Serena's breath caught in her throat. The room was filled with shelves, each one holding ancient artifacts—relics of immense power, many of which Serena recognized from old legends and histories. But at the center of the room, resting on a stone pedestal, were the two artifacts they had come for.
The *Sangreal* glowed faintly, its blood-red gem pulsing with a soft light. Beside it, the *Crux Ignis* radiated a quiet, eerie energy, its silver cross reflecting the dim light of the vault.
"We've got them," Serena whispered, moving toward the pedestal. "Let's grab them and—"
A sudden noise from the hallway made Serena freeze. The sound of footsteps—heavy, deliberate—echoed toward them.
Rebecca's eyes widened in panic. "Someone's coming."
Serena's heart pounded as she turned to Rebecca. "We have to move. Now."
They grabbed the artifacts, wrapping them carefully before slipping them into their bags. As the footsteps grew louder, Serena could feel the tension in the air thickening.
"We're running out of time," Rebecca hissed.
Serena's mind raced, her instincts telling her they were moments away from being discovered.
It was time to make their escape. But getting out would be far harder than getting in.