Chapter 97 The Artifact's Revelation

The hum of the private jet's engines was a soothing counterpoint to the chaos they'd left behind.

Max,nestled in a plush leather seat,turned the golden orb over and over in his hands.

It pulsed with a faint warmth,the intricate carvings and glowing runes shifting like liquid light beneath his fingertips.

He'd expected a rush of power,a bolt of enlightenment,something.

Instead,he just felt…confused.

It was like holding an alien Rubik's Cube.

"This thing is giving me a headache,"he muttered,rubbing his temples.

He could practically feel the billions of dollars he hadn't spent on aspirin throbbing behind his eyes.

Lily,ever the efficient assistant,offered a solution.

"Perhaps we should consult some experts,Mr.Voss? There are several archaeologists and linguists who specialize in ancient artifacts"

Max cut her off with a wave of his hand.

"Absolutely not.The fewer people who know about this,the better.Loose lips sink ships,Lily,and this ship is carrying a whole lot of treasure."He glanced at the orb again,a flicker of frustration in his eyes.

"Besides,who knows what kind of shady government agency would come sniffing around if we started making inquiries?"

The cabin fell silent,the only sound the gentle whir of the engines.

Then,Athena spoke,her voice soft yet firm.

"I…I may know something about this."

Lily's eyes widened.

"Really?What is it,Athena?"Even Max looked up,curiosity replacing his frustration.

Athena hesitated,her gaze distant.

"It's a legend,an old story from my people.A tale of a celestial orb,a source of immense power…and a terrible curse."

As she spoke,a shadow seemed to fall over her,her usual stoicism cracking to reveal a flicker of pain.

She recounted the legend,a story of a fallen god who imbued his power into the orb,a weapon against a cosmic enemy.

But the power was volatile,corrupting those who wielded it without the proper lineage.

She spoke of a hidden temple,trials of strength and spirit,and a prophecy of one who would unite the orb with its rightful heir.

Her voice trailed off,the last words barely a whisper.

"My family…they were the keepers of the orb.We protected it for generations,until…"She closed her eyes,a single tear tracing a path down her cheek.

Max reached out,his hand covering hers.

Her skin was cool,her fingers trembling slightly.

"It's alright,Athena,"he said softly.

"You don't have to talk about it."

She opened her eyes,a glimmer of gratitude in their depths.

"Thank you,Max."

The moment of shared vulnerability was shattered by a sudden jolt.

The plane lurched violently,throwing them against their seats.

Red warning lights flashed across the control panel,and a deafening alarm blared through the cabin.

"What the hell was that?!"Max roared,grabbing for the armrest.

"We're under attack!"Grace shouted from the cockpit,her voice strained.

"Multiple hostiles incoming!They're some kind of…drones?But I've never seen anything like them.They're fast,heavily armed,and their energy signatures are masked!"

Daisy,her fingers flying across the keyboard,chimed in.

"I'm trying to jam their signals,but their tech is…advanced.It's like they're using some kind of adaptive algorithm.I can't get a lock!"

Max felt a cold dread creep into his gut.

Lord Blackthorn.

He should have known the old snake wouldn't give up so easily.

This was payback for the museum heist,and it was coming at them with a vengeance.

He looked at Athena,her face pale but resolute.

He knew,without a word being spoken,what needed to be done.

"Athena,"Max began,his voice low and urgent,"you know what to do."

A fierce glint sparked in Athena's eyes.

Without a word,she rose,her movements fluid and purposeful.

She headed to the rear of the jet,where a concealed compartment housed her specialized combat gear.

Max watched as she donned the sleek,form-fitting suit,its dark metallic finish shimmering in the cabin lights.

The transformation was swift and electrifying.

The elegant,almost ethereal Athena vanished,replaced by a warrior,a Valkyrie ready for battle.

"Good luck,"Max murmured,more to himself than to her,as she strapped on her signature twin blades,their edges gleaming like sharpened moonlight.

With a curt nod,Athena activated the rear hatch.

The roar of the wind and the shriek of the pursuing drones flooded the cabin.

Then,with a graceful leap,she launched herself into the storm.

From the cockpit,Grace and Daisy watched in horrified fascination as Athena engaged the drones.

Her movements were a blur of speed and precision,a deadly dance against a backdrop of swirling clouds and flashing lights.

She flipped,twisted,and spun,her blades slicing through the air,each swing accompanied by the satisfying crunch of metal and the spark of exploding circuitry.

"Holy crap,"Grace breathed,her knuckles white as she gripped the controls.

"She's like a ninja on Red Bull."

Daisy,her eyes glued to the surveillance monitor,muttered,"Her kill count is insane.It's like watching a video game cheat code in action."

But the drones kept coming,a relentless swarm of metal and malice.

They were faster,more agile,and more heavily armed than any they had encountered before.

Each near miss sent a shiver down the spines of those inside the jet.

Max,watching the battle unfold on the monitors,felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his chest.

Athena was skilled,no doubt,but even she couldn't hold out forever against such overwhelming odds.

He had to do something.

"Lily,"he snapped,"get me a secure line to the nearest military base.Now."

"But Mr.Voss,"Lily stammered,"contacting the authorities—"

"Just do it!"Max roared,his voice edged with panic.

Lily,her face pale,scrambled to comply.

Within minutes,she had established a scrambled communication channel.

"This is Max Voss,"he barked into the comm,his voice tight with urgency.

"I'm under attack by unidentified hostile drones.I need immediate air support.I'll wire you a…motivation bonus of,say,ten million dollars upon successful interception."He could practically hear the officer on the other end choking on his own spit.

Money,as always,talked.

Within seconds,the reassuring rumble of fighter jets filled the air.

The military base,spurred by the promise of a hefty"donation,"scrambled its most advanced interceptor squadron.

The sleek,supersonic jets roared into view,their missiles streaking towards the drones,painting the night sky with fiery trails of destruction.

The drones,caught off guard by the sudden counter-attack,scattered like startled flies.

One by one,they were blown out of the sky,their burning wreckage plummeting towards the earth below.

Lord Blackthorn,watching the unfolding disaster from his hidden command center,slammed his fist on the console.

"Damn that Voss!He always has to one-up me!"He snarled,his face contorted with rage.

"He's paying them off,isn't he?That arrogant little…"

Back on the jet,a collective sigh of relief swept through the cabin.

The immediate threat had been neutralized,but the ordeal was far from over.

The attack had taken its toll.

The jet,battered and bruised,was losing altitude rapidly.

"Grace,damage report,"Max demanded.

"Engines are shot,hydraulics are failing,"Grace replied,her voice grim.

"We have to make an emergency landing.Now."

Daisy,frantically scanning the terrain below,pointed to a desolate stretch of desert.

"There!A clearing,about ten miles out.It's our only option."

Grace fought to control the crippled jet,guiding it towards the designated landing zone.

The descent was bumpy,the plane groaning and shuddering with every jolt.

They braced themselves for impact,the silence punctuated only by the whine of the failing engines.

The jet crash-landed in the desert,sending up a plume of sand and dust.

They stumbled out of the wreckage,coughing and disoriented,their ears ringing from the impact.

The silence of the desert night was broken only by the crackling of the burning fuselage.

They had survived,but they were stranded,alone,in the middle of nowhere.

Suddenly,a faint sound drifted on the wind.

The crunching of gravel,the rustling of bushes.

Max felt a chill run down his spine.

He knew,with a sickening certainty,that they weren't alone after all.

"Athena…,"he began,his voice barely a whisper,"behind you…"