The Sonora Desert, Arizona…
The underground facility was abuzz with activity and movement. With the emergence of mysterious phenomena on Earth, more and more ancient artifacts were sent to the institute in hopes of uncovering the secrets of the supernatural.
Nevertheless, the researchers could only complain about the fruitlessness of most of their efforts. The latest delivery of ancient Egyptian murals was found to be ordinary rocks. And no matter what they did, they couldn’t uncover anything.
As for the meaning of the drawings on them, these researchers believed that it would be better to bring in archeologists and occultists. They would be more reliable than material scientists like them.
In one of the facility’s rooms stood a large vessel with a jar-like object within. Its surface was matted with complex, symmetrical patterns and textures that granted it a unique but mysterious beauty. This room was the most secure in the entire institute, and its contents were likely the most precious in the entire facility.
A young researcher and the director of the institute were tasked with examining it together. After looking at the strange jar for a long time, the young researcher could not hold back his curiosity and ask, “Director, what exactly is this thing?”
“This was something obtained by a scientific research team in the 1950s. It was found in the Sonora Desert, right where we are now, actually. At that time, this object was wrapped in animal skin. After research, the animal skin was something done by the Native Americans to preserve the strange jar more than a hundred years ago.”
“At the time the researchers in charge of studying it couldn’t come up with anything, as their means and technologies were even worse than what we have today. Nevertheless, they surmised that it was an object not of this world. Other research institutes have also found other similar items. We suspect they are relics of alien civilizations.”
All researchers who joined the institute went through rigorous background checks and investigations. Once this was done, the director would accompany them on a tour around the base and explain its history. The young researcher he walked with was the newest addition to the team.
“Then, can we tell what it is now?”
The new researcher wondered.
“No, even after sixty years of technological advancements, we still cannot study what this thing is. We can only detect that there is an extremely large amount of energy hidden inside. As for the surface layer material, we cannot make heads or tails of it.”
The director of the research institute said with slight regret.
“Although this thing looks like an alien product, could it be related to the mysterious events happening around the world?”
The researcher, who had not yet reached the age of thirty, immediately associated this object with the recent occurrence of mysterious events.
“After seeing what’s happening on Earth, our institute has also discussed this, but we could neither affirm nor deny it. At first, we researched the animal skin that originally wrapped it, but our studies revealed it to be was just normal animal skin. The writing on the surface of the skin was already hard to decipher, and archeologists speculated that this was previously worshipped by the Native Americans.”
“We are engaged in science, not magic. Who can actually tell the relationships?”
The director of the research institute said this while holding his head.
Once upon a time, the scientific method was the sole valid means of arriving at the truth, but since the advent of the supernatural on Earth, many scientists had their worldviews shaken. Telling these researchers who had mocked magic to talk less of studied it that it existed only left them stumped.
Listening to the director’s complaints, the young researcher did not say much. He looked at another vessel not far from the jar, which contained a golden scale.
“This was left by the dragon that was found in the Amazon.”
The director noticed his gaze and explained.
“This scale is very mysterious and definitely not from any known creature on Earth, so it can only be something from the dragon. Using a powerful microscope, we were even able to see mysterious patterns on the scale. We suspect that this might be related to magic, but printing this pattern on wood, animal skin, paper, or any other media had no effect.”
“Not long ago, the hardness of the scale increased again as if it had evolved. We have done countless experiments on it. Ordinary firearms simply cannot penetrate this scale at all as the kinetic energy quickly disperses, Its ability to reduce impacts is simply terrifying. If we had enough scales to make armor, then no gun would be able to penetrate it. It would be a lot stronger than any bulletproof vest. A single person might even be able to resolve a small-scale battle. The scale’s resistance to penetration and shock is simply too incredible.”
“My God, isn’t that the same as dragon scale armor in games?”
The young researcher exclaimed.
“I don’t know what dragon scale armor is, but it sounds amazing. In any case, they say that there’s some kind of evil god that appeared recently, so let’s observe this scale carefully. FUCK, if only I knew magic.”
The director sighed, thinking that the world was entering chaotic times. He was already quite old and could not keep up with the times.
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, the researcher saw that the mysterious jar from before was trembling. Some weird black smoke was coming out of it.
“Director, look at the jar!”
“Hmm?”
The director looked back and after seeing the change in that jar, his expression changed. He immediately pulled the young researcher outside and shouted, “Attention all personnel, there is a change in the research object… All personnel must return to their post.”
As the director ran out with the researcher, all the gates began to shut, enclosing the space inside within.
A group of researchers took their position and observed the changes in the monitor.
Only to see that the strange black smoke wafting out of the jar became denser and denser. The grainy fumes soon began to coalesce. Parts of the gases slowly became solid just above the jar, turning into a distorted human figure!
It stood on top of the jar and seemed to be embracing the sky.
“Hahahahahahahaha! Finally, I’m finally back! You invaders who cheated us and betrayed us, prepare to bear the hatred that climbs out from hell!”
The twisted figure emitted odd words. Although no one there did knew what language this was, they could somehow understand it. The words contained a strong resentment and a harsh tone. It was like the roar of a monster.
According to their measurement devices, sulfuric gas was detected when the bizarre monster appeared. It was as if it truly came from hell that was full of lava just to take revenge against the invaders.
“Could it be an evil spirit worshipped by the native Americans?!”
After hearing the resentful cries of the twisted black shadow, the researchers who had a basic knowledge of the history of the American continent were shocked.