The sky outside was a roiling canvas of dark clouds, flashing intermittently with jagged bolts of lightning that split the night like fractured glass. The low rumble of thunder rolled through the valley, shaking the windows and rattling the ancient wooden frame of Kane's mountain home.
Inside, the small house was quiet except for the soft patter of rain against the roof. Kane sat at the kitchen table, the black artifact resting in the palm of his hand, its weight both solid and strange—like it carried secrets waiting for him to unlock.
His fingers traced the etched lines again, slower this time. The patterns seemed to pulse faintly under his touch, almost breathing with a life of their own. He swallowed hard. Could it be responding to him? To his touch? Or was his mind playing tricks in the darkness?
The hum he had first heard in the basement was back—low and steady—but now it felt different. Warmer. Almost… inviting.
Reina's small footsteps echoed softly behind him. The two-year-old toddler clutched a well-worn blanket as she padded toward him, her wide eyes filled with nervous curiosity. The thunder had frightened her, and she wanted the comfort of her brother's presence.
"Kane…" she whispered, voice trembling. "Thunder… scary."
Kane smiled gently, setting the artifact down carefully on the table. He scooped her into his arms, holding her close as the storm rumbled overhead.
"It's okay, Reina. I'm here. Nothing will hurt you."
Her tiny fingers brushed the artifact lying just beyond his hand. Curious, she reached out, her small palm closing over the smooth black stone.
The moment she touched it, the artifact seemed to pulse with a soft glow—just a flicker, barely noticeable, but unmistakably there. Kane's breath caught.
"Reina…" he said quietly, half in wonder, half in caution. "Don't—"
But the glow spread slowly, as if recognizing the innocence in her touch rather than a threat. The etched lines shimmered faintly in the dim kitchen light, the hum growing stronger and more rhythmic, like a heartbeat syncing with theirs.
Kane's mind raced. Was the artifact reacting to her? To their combined presence?
He gently lifted the stone from her small hand and wrapped it in a cloth, placing it back on the table. For the first time, he dared to speak aloud the thought that had gnawed at him since discovering the case.
"This… isn't just some relic," he murmured. "It's… something else. Something alive."
His gaze was drawn to the black surface, now still and dark once more. But deep inside, Kane felt the stirring of something new—an awakening.
That night, after Reina was settled in bed beside him, Kane returned to the kitchen table, unable to resist the pull of the artifact. He ran his fingers lightly across its surface, focusing intently.
Suddenly, a soft whisper filled his mind—not words, but a sensation, a presence. The hum grew into a gentle melody, like a song just beyond hearing.
Then, a translucent interface flickered before his eyes—a glowing grid of symbols and icons, impossible yet undeniable.
Kane blinked. Was he dreaming?
The system was awakening.
A cold shiver ran down his spine as the first words appeared in the glow:
[System Initialized][Welcome, User: Kane Wylder][Permissions: Pending Activation]
His heart pounded.
He was no longer alone.
The artifact wasn't just an object. It was a key… to something greater.
And Kane knew that the true test was only beginning.