Scene 1: The Hidden Chamber
The church was silent, the kind of silence that make some low long noise in your ears and made your breath ti be heard aloud. Eve stood nearer to the altar, with her fingers brushing the smooth wood while Cassian inspected its base with careful study.
"I can feel something," Cassian tried to talk, walking on knees to trace the edges of the stone on the floor. "This altar is not just beautiful, there's power under it."
"Power?" Sarah asked, hugging her arms close. "I don't like the way you sound."
Eve leaned closer, her curiosity got aroused. "How can you tell?"
Cassian looked at her, his green eyes meeting the faint light of the lantern he had lit earlier. "I have been trained to sense these things. There's a secret procedure here."
He pressed down on a worn stone etched with faint markings. A grinding noise filled the room as part of the floor moved, revealing a spiral staircase that led into darkness.
Sarah stepped back, shaking her head. "No way. Nope. That is a horror movie waiting to display."
Eve felt a nervous chuckle which surpressed her. "We've already been attacked by shadows. This is is happening as it ought to now."
Cassian was the first to go down, his lantern poured long shadows on the wet stone walls. Eve followed, her heart beating high with a mixture of fear and anticipation. The air became colder as they reached a secret chamber, its walls were painted with faded messages that depicted strange battles between light and shadow.
At the center of the room stood a raised platform, and resting on it was an old, leather-bound book. Its surface was broken as a result of age, and symbols similar to the ones on the artifact spread its cover.
"This is it," Cassian whispered, almost displaying worship. "The Book of Shadows."
Eve slowed down, her fingers moving over the face of the book. "What's in it?"
"Everything," Cassian replied. "History, warnings, maybe even answers. But it's dangerous. This isn't just a book, it's a historical object tied to the artifact itself."
As he opened the book, a cold breeze blew through the chamber. The low sound of whispers filled the air, causing the hair on Eve's arms to stand on end.
"I assume something is watching us," Cassian said, with a low voice. "We need to be fast."
Scene 2: The First Keeper's Warning
Back in the main hall of the church, Cassian spread the book across the altar, his hands moving fast over the ancient pages. Eve and Sarah stood on either side of him, peering over his shoulder.
Cassian started, "these markings," pointing to a series of intricate symbols, "give the detail of the artifact's origins. It was created centuries ago by persons with magical powers who believed they could protect humanity from an ancient darkness. But their magic was not reliable. The artifact didn't just seal the darkness, it became part of it."
Eve frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Cassian said sternly, "the artifact isn't just a weapon. It's alive. It has a bond with its keeper, drawing strength from them."
Sarah's face turned dull. "So this thing is... feeding off Eve?"
"Yes," Cassian agreed. "And the bond becomes stronger over time. If it is not cut off..."
He allowed the statement to remain hanging, but the implication was clear.
Eve took a step back, focusing at her arm where the faint mark pulsed. "Are you saying this thing is going to kill me?"
"It won't only kill," Cassian said. "But it will consume you. If we don't find a way to break the link, you'll lose yourself to its power."
Sarah told hold of Eve's hand, her voice was shaking. "There has to be another way. You don't have to do this!"
Eve squeezed her friend's hand as if expressing anger, but didn't look away from Cassian. "If this is what my dad died for, then I need to follow it to the end. I can't run away from this."
Scene 3: A Rift Among Allies
The trouble between the trio grew as the reality of their situation came to view. Sarah, pacing near the altar, finally broke down.
"This is insane!" she shouted, pointing at the book. "We're reading ancient prophecies and fighting shadows like this is embarking on a journey of fame. We're just normal people!"
"Normal people don't move about with artifacts," Cassian shot back, his voice was calm but firm.
Eve was running out of patience and she stepped between them,"Enough! Fighting is not the solution."
Sarah turned to her, her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "Eve, you're my best friend. I can not just stand here and watch you lose your life for something you do not even understand!"
"And you think I like what is happening?" Eve snapped. "I didn't choose any of this, Sarah! But it's happening, and I need to deal with it."
The argument ended in heavy silence, but the period the silence took between them prolonged.
Scene 4: Shadows Unleashed
The attack came without prior notice. A chill wind swept through the church, extinguishing the candles.
"Stay close," Cassian ordered, as he pulled out his blade.
Eve clutched the artifact tightly as shadows glide through the cracks in the walls, forming figures like human beings with glowing red eyes.
Cassian lunged at the closest shadow, his blade cutting through it with the speed of light. The shade dissolved into mist, but more appeared, and their movements was faster and more coordinated.
One lunged at Eve, and she instantly raised the artifact. An explosion of light erupted from it, this forced the shades to retreat.
Cassian stared at her, with surprise. "You're learning to control it."
"I don't know how I did that," Eve said, as her voice trembled.
Scene 5: The Stranger's Past
After the shades were defeated, Cassian later on opened up about his past.
"I wasn't always one that protects others," he said, staring at the flickering lantern. "I was sometimes reckless. I failed the last keeper because I underestimated the artifact's power."
Eve sat beside him, her voice was soft. "What happened to them?"
"She became overwhelmed by it," Cassian admitted. "It turned her into something unrecognizable. I swore I would never let that happen again."
Eve placed a hand on his arm. "We'll find out the solution to this together."
Scene 6: A Clue from the Past
Eve spent hours reading her father's journal. One particular entry was so important:
"The artifact is more than a key, it's a door. If opened, it could unleash a darkness the world isn't ready for."
She showed it to Cassian, who frowned. "We need to make sure that door remained closed."
Scene 7: A Betrayal in the Dark
That night, Eve caught Sarah trying to get at the artifact.
"What are you doing?" Eve asked.
Sarah shrinked but didn't pull back. "I just... I thought maybe I could help."
Eve grabbed her arm, pulling her away. "You cannot. It is too dangerous."
Cassian showed up in the doorway, with a cold expression. "Stay away from the artifact. I am not giving you a warning."
Sarah left off in anger, leaving Eve torn between loyalty to her friend and trust in Cassian
Scene 8: Visions of the Past
Eve didn't remember when she fell asleep, but the dream felt too vivid to be an ordinary one. She stood in a vast, empty landscape under a sky split in half—one side blindingly bright, the other engulfed in total darkness. The air crackled with energy, and in the center of the horizon, a very high door shoned softly, its surface etched with glowing symbols that pulsed like a heartbeat.
"Eve," a soft voice whispered, yet commanding.
She turned to see a woman in a long, flowing robe standing behind her. The woman's face was covered partly by a hood, but her eyes brightened with the same light as the artifact.
"Who are you?" Eve asked, her voice echoing unnaturally.
"I was the first keeper," the woman said, stepping closer. "You are walking on a dangerous path, child. The artifact is both a gift and a curse. Do not let it break you as it did to me."
Before Eve could ask more, the ground trembled, and shadows started to pour out from the cracks in the earth. The robed woman extended her hand, an explosion of light erupted from her palm, holding the darkness at stand still.l
"You must discover the truth, but beware, those closest to you may already be lost," the woman said, with a fading voice as the shadows consumed the landscape.
Eve thrusted and woke, her chest heaving. The artifact on the nightstand shined faintly, as if responding to her distress.
Scene 9: The Fractured Alliance
The morning brought no respite from the tension of the previous day. Eve found Sarah sitting outside the church, her knees pulled to her chest as she looked at the horizon.
"I didn't mean to scare you last night," Sarah said quietly, not looking at Eve.
"I know," Eve replied, sitting beside her. "But you can't touch the artifact. It is dangerous."
Sarah let out a bitter laugh. "Everything about this is dangerous. I just wanted to understand what is happening. I feel so... useless."
Eve placed a hand on Sarah's shoulder. "You are not useless. You're my firm support in all this madness. But you have to trust me—and Cassian."
Sarah's expression turned dull. "Trust him? He's hiding something, Eve. I can feel it."
Before Eve could respond, Cassian emerged from the church. "We need to move. Staying here too long puts all of us at risk."
"Convenient timing," Sarah muttered under her breath, giving Cassian a look as she walked past him.
Cassian raised an eyebrow at Eve. "Is Everything okay?"
Eve sighed, feeling the weight of the increasing distance between her best friend and their reluctant ally. "Not really. But we will deal with it."
Scene 10: The Artifact's Warning
As they prepared to leave, Cassian insisted on a final check of the Book of Shadows.
"There's something I haven't translated yet," he affirmed, flipping to a section marked by faded drawings of the artifact.
Eve stood nearby looking at him, watching as he carefully understood the ancient script. "It's a warning," he said, his brow furrowing.
"What kind of warning?" Eve asked, her stomach knotting.
Cassian pointed to a passage. "The artifact doesn't just choose a keeper, it tests them. If the keeper proves unworthy, the artifact turns against them, seeking another host. But that process..."
He gradually went silent, his face pale.
"What?" Eve insisted, with voice rising. "What happens if it turns against me?"
"It doesn't just abandon you," Cassian said grimly. "It consumes you entirely, body and soul."
Eve felt the blood drying up from her face. The mark on her arm seemed to pulse harder, as if the artifact itself was warning her of the outcomes.
"Is there any way to stop it?" Sarah asked, stepping into the room despite her earlier anger.
"There's a ritual," Cassian said. "But it's dangerous. And it requires something we don't have, a second artifact."
Eve stared at him in disbelief. "There's another one?"
"Yes," Cassian confirmed. "And it's even more dangerous than the one you are carrying."
Scene 11: Ambush in the Ruins
Their journey to find the second artifact began with caution, but the dangers on their way only increased. Cassian led them through thick forest to an abandoned ruin he claimed might hold a clue to the artifact's location.
The ruin was eerie, overgrown with vines and moss. The low sound of water dripping echoed through the broken stone halls as they ventured deeper.
"Stay close," Cassian warned, his blade drawn.
Eve felt the artifact grow warm against her skin, its light brighten their path faintly. The air grew heavier, and the shadows in the corners seemed to move on their own accord.
Without warning, the shadows staged an attack, forming into humanoid shapes. Eve raised the artifact instinctively, its light burnt away the closest shade.
Cassian fought beside her, his blade cutting through the creatures with exactness. Sarah held a makeshift torch, using the fire to keep the shades far off.
"Why do they keep coming after me?" Eve shouted, panic in her voice.
"They're drawn to the artifact's power," Cassian replied, slicing through another shade. "And they won't stop until they get it."
The battle did not last long before it ended, but the cost was clear. The artifact's light dimmed, and Eve felt a deep exhaustion settle over her.
"This is not sustainable," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Cassian nodded. "We need to find that second artifact, before it's too late."