The Keeper's Journal

The journal sat on the small coffee table in Ethan's apartment, its battered cover and bloodstained pages a stark contrast to the otherwise orderly space. The storm had finally passed, leaving the city quiet, but the tension in the air remained.

Ethan sat across from it, the weight of its contents pressing on him even before he had fully read through it. Dr. Grantham had pieced together fragments of a puzzle that stretched across centuries, each entry revealing more about the Lane family's dark legacy and their ties to the seal.

He flipped to the middle of the journal, where Grantham's handwriting became hurried, almost desperate. The words seemed to claw at the edges of the page, as if the historian had been racing against time.

"The Lane family didn't create the seal—they inherited it. The artifact is ancient, far older than any known civilization. Its power is not contained—it's restrained. If the seal breaks, it won't release a demon. It will call one."

Ethan frowned, his eyes scanning the accompanying sketches. Grantham had drawn what appeared to be a massive circular symbol, its intricate patterns resembling a maze. At the center was a single word, written in bold, jagged strokes: "Beacon."

Victoria's Confrontation

Victoria Lane stood in the heart of the sublevels, her heels clicking against the sterile tile floor. The air here was colder, the fluorescent lights casting harsh shadows that seemed to stretch unnaturally long. Around her, lab technicians moved like ghosts, their gazes averted, their movements mechanical.

At the center of the room was a glass containment chamber, its surface fogged from the temperature difference. Inside, faint pulses of light illuminated a jagged object resting on a pedestal—another shard, similar to the one Victoria kept in her office.

"This is the last piece we need," said a voice from behind her.

Victoria turned to face Dr. Caine, the lead researcher on Project Obsidian. He was a wiry man with sharp features and a nervous energy that never seemed to dissipate.

"And you're sure this will stabilize the seal?" Victoria asked, her tone sharp.

Dr. Caine hesitated, his eyes darting to the shard. "Stabilize, yes. But only temporarily. The seal is deteriorating faster than we anticipated. The energy output—"

"I don't want excuses," Victoria interrupted, her voice cold. "Just results."

Dr. Caine nodded, though the unease in his expression deepened. "If we push the system any further, there's a risk of... amplification. The seal's energy might not just stabilize—it could attract something far worse."

Victoria's gaze darkened, her sharp blue eyes narrowing. "Then make sure it doesn't come to that," she said before turning on her heel and leaving the lab.

Ethan's Discovery

Ethan leaned back in his chair, the journal's pages still open before him. The word "Beacon" echoed in his mind, its implications chilling. Grantham hadn't just uncovered the truth about the seal—he had uncovered its purpose.

The journal detailed several locations connected to the seal's history, each marked by strange phenomena: unexplained disappearances, massive energy spikes, and, in one case, the spontaneous collapse of an entire mountain range.

But one entry stood out.

"All roads lead back to Luminex. The seal's fragments are being brought together under the guise of innovation, but the true purpose is far more sinister. If the final shard is integrated, the signal will be complete. And once the signal is sent, there's no stopping what comes next."

Ethan's stomach churned. Luminex wasn't just housing the seal—it was amplifying it. The experiments, the research, even Victoria's control—it was all leading to one inevitable outcome: the call.

His phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen.

Unknown Number: "The shard is in the sublevels. Move now."

Ethan's jaw tightened. Whoever was sending him these messages clearly had access to Luminex's operations, but their identity remained a mystery. Still, the warning was clear. If the final shard was integrated, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Grabbing his coat, Ethan pocketed the journal and headed for the door.

Anna's Dilemma

In her office, Anna stared at the surveillance feed from the sublevels, her expression unreadable. She had watched Victoria confront Dr. Caine, seen the tension in her posture and the way her words cut through the room like a blade.

But Anna's focus wasn't on Victoria—it was on the man moving through the hallways above. Ethan Ward.

She leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping against the desk. The pieces were falling into place, but the picture they painted was far from clear. Ethan was a wild card, and Anna wasn't sure whether he would be the one to save them—or destroy them all.

Her phone buzzed, a single message appearing on the screen:

"Watch him closely. He's getting too close to the truth."

Anna's lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't need the reminder.