Bright red blood dripped onto the metal box engraved with mysterious, intricate patterns, making a steady tapping sound as Cyril flicked it with his finger.
Dark blue light rippled outward from his fingertips, layer upon layer, like wind-raised ripples on a calm lake.
A few breaths later, Cyril's tapping suddenly stopped.
Click!
The metal box opened in response.
Cyril glanced inside. There was less in the box than he had imagined: only a badge made of an unknown metal, formed from layered doors, and several yellowed sheets of parchment.
After exchanging a glance with Owen, he handed him the opened metal box, then leaned back on the sofa and stared blankly at the smog-shrouded sky beyond the window.
But if I didn't try, would the only outcome be failure...
But even if I tried, could I find my way home? This was no longer merely a distance of space and time...:
As his thoughts drifted, a hand holding a badge suddenly reached in front of him and waved it a few times.
Cyril came back to his senses and looked at Owen, who had leaned close to him in confusion.
"You're already done reading what was on those papers?"
Owen shook his head as if it were obvious. "Of course not. I'm just showing off our Abraham Family badge to you.
"What do you think? Cool, right?"
"They say it isn't just a badge. It also has some mystical significance. It can serve as part of a ritual to contact the most powerful ancestor of our Abraham Family."
As he spoke, his expression suddenly fell. "Unfortunately, that was back in the Fourth Epoch."
"Now it's just a mystical accessory with negative effects. During a Full Moon, carrying it lets you hear those terrifying voices more clearly."
After two seconds of