DARKNESS OF HEAVEN: RISING FORCE

DISCOVERY

Three monthslater...

Dark stormclouds loom overhead, casting a sense of foreboding over thearchaeological excavation site. The sound of picks, shovels, anddigging echoes through the air, creating a symphony of laboriouseffort. Diana stands over the newly discovered dragon-likeskull fossil of a bipedal reptilian species, a find that couldpotentially rewrite history.

She is filled with excitement and wonder as shetakes photographs of the skull with her holographic phone. "Thisis fascinating. Perhaps it's a prehistoric crocodile, or a gargoyle,or maybe something older than what we are led to believe. I'm notquite sure, but I do know that Mr. Blackwell will definitely bepleased with this finding," she enthuses with excitement whiletaking photographs.

Jake, a rugged foreman in his early fifties,strides towards Diana with a sense of urgency etched across hisweathered face. His eyes, sharpened by years of confronting theunpredictable moods of nature, are fixed on the horizon where ominousred streaks slash through the darkening sky.

The flashes, growing more frequent and intense,signal a fast-approaching storm. His roughened voice, carrying theweight of responsibility and experience, breaks the calm as he pointstoward the horizon, alerting Diana to the impending threat. "Diana,there is a storm approaching," he gruffly speaks.

In his stance and expression, there is an unspokenunderstanding of the immediacy with which they must act, a testamentto his years of knowledge of the elements in the unforgivingoutdoors. His employer feels a knot of nervousness and in her stomachas she gazes up at the eerie sky. "They look like lightningsprites, very dangerous indeed, Jake," she expresses withurgency. "Jake, get everybody to safety. I'll collect theskull," she commands as she looks down at her new find.

The winds pick up, blowing papers and tools allabout the area as the workers panic, running for cover, lightningbolts striking the dig site in strategic areas. Jake runs aboutyelling out to his employees, herding them to safety. "Comeon, come on, let's go, let's get everybody to safety," Jakecommands.

Diana snatches up the skull and sprints her way toher tent, a bolt of lightning narrowly missing her. The storm passesas quickly as it came. She slowly emerges from her tent feelingapprehensive. "Diana, are you alright?"

Jake asks, startling her as he appears out ofnowhere. "Yes, I'm fine," she replies. "Whatare we going to do now? The damage was extensive over the site; it'sgoing to take at least a week to clear the dig site once again,"Jake questions, feeling intuitively nervous from the sudden uprisingof the storm.

"Were going to pack up the fossil and I amtaking it to the museum before anything else goes wrong, then we willsee where we stand with this sight," she says, smiling, asshe places and locks up the skull in the archaeological crate on hertable.

Jake glances over the landscape seeing howdevastating the sight was, he sighs as he turns to her withapprehension, "Diana, perhaps, we must consider thatdisturbing the slumber of the ancients can awaken not only theirsecrets but also their curses," informed Jake, a seasonedexplorer with years of experience.

Diana, intrigued yet cautious, replies, "Sometimes,the allure of the past is too compelling to resist. Let us treadcarefully and hope that our respect for the deceased will shield usfrom the wrath of the ancients."

Jake laughs, "The storm is just thebeginning, Diana. I fear that if you remove that fossil from thisland, not only the curse of death will overshadow you but those whoare close to you."

Diana, sharing a nervous chuckle, responds, "Well,Jake, it seems we've embarked on an adventure with both nature's furyand ancient curses as our companions. Let's hope our determinationand respect for this findings guide us to the right path,"as she, the veteran archaeologist, grabs the enclosed contents andheads out of the tent.