The jump was heavier than the last.
The air in Cairo, in 1910, was hot, dry, and laced with dust.
Kael and the witches emerged near the edges of the Fustat district, under the shade of old palm trees.
Men in turbans pushed carts. Women veiled their faces in soft cloths.
The world there moved at a different rhythm — as if time itself lingered.
—
The mission:
Retrieve a League artifact hidden in a tomb disguised as an archaeological site, claimed by a British expedition.
The problem:
The artifact had accidentally activated.
Now… it was emitting unstable temporal signals.
—
Kael split the group.
— Helena, Nikita, Marie, with me.
— The rest: surveillance and perimeter.
They dressed in local attire, spoke only when necessary.
They moved like shadows among tourists and scholars.
The entry point was a "deserted" dig site south of the city.
Inside, time seemed to bend.
—
The underground chamber was partially collapsed.
At the center, a golden box pulsed faintly — marked with League symbols and fake hieroglyphs.
— This should not be active, — Kael muttered.
Nikita stepped closer.
— Feel that? The field is... vibrating.
Helena closed her eyes.
— It's calling.
Marie took a step back.
— Or warning.
—
Outside, Claudia and Patricia intercepted two men in white robes.
One held a map with the League's symbol scribbled by hand.
— We've got observers, — Claudia said through her wrist comm.
— Neutralize without harm, — Kael replied. — And collect what you can.
—
Inside the tomb, Kael placed his hands over the box.
— This tech predates the League. Far older.
He pressed his fingers to one side.
The box slowly opened, revealing a small translucent sphere, with a pulsing core inside.
— This isn't ours, — he whispered.
Helena stared at him.
— Is it theirs?
Kael didn't answer.
He sealed the object in a containment capsule.
— Mission complete. We're returning.
—
The return was immediate.
Back at the base, the object was secured in the Silent Anomalies Room, locked behind five seals.
Kael remained there for a few minutes, alone, staring at the artifact.
— Where did you really come from? — he whispered.
—
End of Chapter.
---
Following the trail of Stone and Mist? Vote with Power Stones and keep the balance between what's seen and what should never be touched.
Stone and Mist go further than the story.
---