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Plagued by incessant dreams of an ancient artifact, Evangeline couldn't help the insatiable desire that resided deep within her soul, urging her to possess it.
Sleep evaded her for days. No amount of pacing around in her apartment tamed her wild thoughts and no matter how much she researched it, little to nothing showed up. Scattered books and maps, each holding a clue to the artifact's whereabouts, covered every inch of her place.
Her curiosity peaked. But mere research was not enough to quench her thirst for discovery. The tantalizing whispers of adventure beckoned her, urging her to embark on a quest to obtain the elusive relic. It consumed her every waking moment. With a loud groan, Evangeline found herself messaging her friends, a band of brave adventurers in their own right.
A couple of days later, she was lacing up her boots, checking the contents of her backpack, and then tightening its straps before slinging it over her shoulders.
Malik smirked, "Ready?"
"She was born ready," Jackson scoffed, clapping her on the back.
Evangeline chuckled and they bid Lieutenant Ramirez farewell as they exited her helicopter. "C'mon, boys, it's adventure time."
And, that's how the three of them found themselves trekking along breathtaking paths of the very dense rainforest of Xishuangbanna.
Their eyes feasted on the lush, mesmerizing tapestry of vibrant greens and teeming biodiversity – dense vegetation, towering trees, and a rich array of plant and animal species. Sunlight filtered through intertwined branches and the air became thicker with humidity the deeper they ventured.
Evangeline shared everything she discovered with her companions while still keeping her eyes trained on her surroundings for any clues of the artifact's whereabouts. They hiked up hills, climbed steep slopes, and navigated through thick foliage.
As they advanced, Evangeline noticed strange markings etched into the bark of the trees and moss-covered rocks. She stopped to examine them closely, tracing the intricate shapes with her fingers. "These symbols," she murmured, "they match the ones in the ancient texts. We must be on the right path."
Her companions gathered around. "You really think we're close?" Jack asked, eyes wide and brows lifted.
"I can feel it." Evangeline grinned, going about deciphering as much as she could while Jackson documented everything with his camera and Malik scouted farther ahead to ensure a safe path.
- - - - -
Loud, quick steps of a rushing Malik stopped Evangeline and Jackson in their track. Alerted, they stood, watching him head their way, his rifle hanging by his side.
"Run," he shouted, waving his arms around. "Run!"
Neither moved, however, as they stood motionless, unsure of what to do until the sound of gunshots reached their ears. Evangeline yelped, whipped around, and bolted after a muttering Jackson who hugged his precious camera to his chest. "What the fuck, Malik!" he hissed.
Malik only panted at first, pulling Evangeline to his side as another bullet whirred past them and grazed Jack's shoulder. He groaned, cursing loudly.
"Don't stop," Malik hissed, before instructing them to follow him. "Both of you zigzag as you run."
The three of them headed to the trees, dense, scattered, and easy to evade a ruthless enemy.
"Who are they?" Evangeline heaved, pumping her arms harder by her sides. "Where did they come from?"
"I don't know," Malik frowned. "It was strangely quiet for a while. No birds and no roaming animals. Then, they appeared outta nowhere." When he tripped, she tugged him up by the elbow. "Thanks. What do you think they want? Do you think they're after the same artifact?"
Confusion furrowed her brows. There was no other explanation for what was happening. Why else would they attack them? The forest was an attraction to many adventurers. None of them, that she'd known of, had ever been shot at.
Unintelligible shouts could be heard behind them as they stumbled through camouflaged paths and jagged grounds. They weren't too far behind but they'd stopped shooting at least. They must've figured it was a waste of ammunition.
Jackson whined, stuffing his rare, expensive gear in his pack. "I don't wanna die, man."
Evangeline grunted as they dodged scattered logs and protruding rocks, struggled to stay upright on slippery grounds, and heaved up steep hills. Fear fed their erratic hearts. What else awaited them? These people weren't playing around.
"It'll be fun you said," Jack heaved as he ran beside her, glancing at the blood trickling down his arm. "It's easy, you promised."
"And you believed her?" Malik scoffed, pausing to fire a few aimless shots behind him in an attempt to scare and slow their chasers.
Jackson gritted his teeth, tugging a cloth tight around his wounded arm as he leaned against a tree for a brief moment of respite. "We never learn."
"This is actually good news!"
Incredulous, Jack blinked at her as they bolted again. "What?"
"Them attacking us," Evangeline panted, "means we're on the right path. We're posing as a threat to them because they're looking for it. That also means," she grinned, "the artifact is more important than I originally–"
Evangeline yelped when the ground beneath them dipped into a camouflaged, steep slope. All three of them tumbled down, grunting and groaning in their descent until they lay sprawled at the bottom in a mess of aching limbs and heavy breaths.
Slowly, she sat up, her gaze sweeping around their dim surroundings. Carvings stretched endlessly across walls damaged only by time and covered by intricately-shaped carpets of vines and creepers which wove their way high up to the ceiling and stretched from one end to the other.
Staggering to their feet, the two men watched Evangeline dash from one wall to another, her eyes sparkling and her smile widening. Her enthusiasm was infectious.
"How could she be smiling in a place like this? At a time like this?" Jackson whispered.
Malik shrugged with a soft tilt of his lips. "She's stepped into a world of her own, untouched by time."
Evangeline's eyes roamed their surroundings, taking in the abundant plant life that covered most of the paved grounds and cracked walls. Dust and cobwebs blanketed everything.
"She's loco, I'm telling you," Jackson added.
Malik rolled his eyes and focused on reloading his gun, ensuring they were prepared for whatever lay ahead. Meanwhile, Jackson tended to his minor wounds, patching himself before both scouted the area for any potential threats or hidden treasures.
After dusting off everything she could reach, her fingers traced the weathered carvings, feeling the rough texture beneath her touch. The ancient texts seemed to come alive before her eyes as she worked on the symbols.
Evangeline's heart quickened with anticipation. She pieced together fragments of the past, gradually uncovering the hidden text in this foreign language until realization flickered like a light bulb atop her head.
Malik and Jackson exchanged a glance, their skepticism slowly giving way to a cautious interest.
"What does it say?" Malik asked.
Evangeline took a deep breath, reducing her excitement to a smug grin. "According to these carvings, the artifact is very much real. And I believe we're standing in the very place where it can be found. I believe the relic is hidden here, right under our noses."
