19 The Big Break

Rhael and Agaven were so heart broken by the death of their only daughter Lerica. However, the couple still had a sliver of hope. They had painstakingly worked on improving themselves and making a lot of studies regarding Lerica's case. They were already at the tip in finding a solution. But then, this happened. They had adopted Sera in honor of Lerica's wish of having a sister, thinking it would help her recover. Instead, Sera was the one who brought the end of their one and only daughter.

They were unaware of the part that Lerica was already fading when Sera came in. Sera's presence had actually helped Lerica be at peace and stay a little longer for her parents. Sera had also let her die happy as her last wish was granted.

But it doesn't matter, nothing else mattered, Rhael and Agaven will only believe what they think they saw.

It has been an hour already since the grieving Rhael and Agaven had brought Lerica to their basement laboratory. They just stood there in disbelief and helplessness as Lerica's body turn very pale and cold. But Rhael would not accept that her daughter's really dead. She walked to the far end of the room and activated a capsule.

It hissed open as cold mist was released from the inside. Cryo-tech, one of the world's technological breakthroughs with the help of the discovery of magic. It was designed to hold specimen and preserve it, never allowing it to perish or decay. It was mostly meant for research but the Stedores used it as a final resort.

Agaven did not say a word, both of them only wanted the same thing - that their daughter would be alive again. He helped his wife fix Lerica inside the cryo-capsule . They were hoping that by placing Lerica's body there, it would preserve her until they found a solution that would raise her back. After murmuring a chant they activated the capsule again, hissing into a close as the only hope remaining in them started to grow again.

This wasn't the first time both of them had felt so powerless, so incapable. The first time was 16 years ago, when they thought Lerica had died from the Arcane surge.

Agaven and Rhael were once one an ordinary couple. Just a normal couple who had a 4 year old daughter. They both were researchers for almost 10 years, working under a big company when their boss sent them for an undercover expedition. Thinking that this could be their big break, both of them couldn't afford to miss it. Since they were barely making enough money during that time, they couldn't afford a nanny for their young child so they decided to bring her along. Never in their minds would they have thought it as a mistake. They would soon regret it for the rest of their lives.

Odd international occurrences have been going on lately, such as hurricanes and storms never before recorded in history and series of earthquakes circling the globe. Just then, satellites all around the world have been getting signals about some happenings deep in the ocean. Ships and submarines filled with research teams and scientists were sent to look into it and study what this happenings are. When they went into the deep parts of the ocean, they discovered something out of this world. A large cube, almost twice the size of a human person, was uncovered, weird luminous plants and small animals crawling about it. It had the makings of an ancient element, as the scientists and researchers theorized it was a million years old. Something must have triggered it to cause the satellites to detect its strong signals.

All the researchers eyes glimmered in excitement. It was big, heavy and out of this world and they didn't dare to lift without examining it first. The researchers and scientists have been living under the water for a week already. Thankfully, their provisions were enough to last them through the duration. On the seventh day, they finally decided to lift it up after one more checking.

Lerica was on board one of the ships, and was currently looking down on the waters. It had been a week and she was curious what her parents had been up to. She was already growing bored and tired of watching the fish swim about the ocean. She didn't notice that that day was different. That day, the sea creatures were silent.

Back to where the cube is, there were already chains and hooks connected to pull it up to the surface. Just then, one of the divers trying to help in pushing it up triggered an opening as he pressed a part of the cube. All of them were taken aback from what happened. Thankfully the cube was chained securely and they avoided being smashed as the cube's walls started to fall apart. From the small gaps, beams of light came out of the opening. When they saw this their eyes opened wide and they got more excited. They all positioned themselves away from the walls as the others unchained it. Soon the last chain was removed and the cube opened on its own. The light beams got larger and wider and a powerful wave pulsed from within. The pulses started coming out at an increasing rate until it formed an explosion. The impact threw the research team a distance from the cube but nevertheless not one of them was harmed.

The submarines near the cube did not take any damage as well, only their electrical equipments and gadgets seemed as though it had malfunctioned during the pulses but were restored immediately after the explosion. Amidst the chaos, the only person who was affected was Lerica. The beam of light had reached up towards the ships and she was in direct contact with it when it desintigrated in the surface air. The power was too much for her body to take. It had a devastating effect on her, damaging her internal organs making her very weak and fragile, as she lost consciousness. The researchers began to feel frightened of this unknown object and didn't dare to touch, as they rushed back to safety. They immediately started examining themselves for any injuries and damages. Most of them started to be relieved when the tests showed they were in good shape. Just then a call from the ships reached the submarines. A young girl, struck by the strange beam of light was suddenly ill with an unknown sickness. Agaven and Rhael, realizing their that it was Lerica, rushed back to their daughter and found her unconscious on a bed with life support . The Stedores cried helplessly as their only daughter is now on the brink of death, and had it not been for those who found immediately, they could have lost her already.

Lerica Stedore had been weak and sickly since then.