Discovery

Two men were studying archaeology at Oxford University. They were John Kent and Tom Deth. They were among the top students in their final year. In less than a week, they would be leaving for Egypt to research an excavation.      It was Friday, 5:30 p.m. John Kent was just driving home in his Toyota. "Hi, honey! Where are the kids? Oh, you're finally here. The kids are in the garden with the boy next door. I'm just finishing dinner, so you could call them." It was more of a statement than a question. " No problem. I'll be right back, I'll just wash up a bit." In less than five minutes, everyone was tucking into their usual delicious dinner. After they finished, John, his sons, Philip, and Sam, went for a long bike ride, while Margaret tackled the daily chores. Then she lay down on the couch and started reading a book. By that time, the rest of the family had already traveled over two kilometers from home. The Kents were better off than the rest of their family and friends because they lived in the countryside. After about forty minutes of driving, John spotted his best friend, Tom Deth. "Hi, mate! How are you?" John began. "I'm okay. I hope you remember our trip? " "Of course. How could I forget something so important, I don't have multiple sclerosis yet. " "Then I'll be off, I have something to do. So, bye! See you Thursday. " "Bye." After this brief conversation, they drove another two kilometers to the forest, then started heading home. They arrived at 7:42 PM, just in time for dinner. The children went to bed at 9:00 PM. Shortly after, John and Margaret did the same. The next two days were identical. It wasn't until Wednesday that the madness of preparing for the trip, which was supposed to last three months, began. They packed almost every piece of clothing they owned, a toothbrush, a few razors, and, of course, food (sandwiches, drinks, fruit, and vegetables). And then there was the bedding. They finished getting ready late in the evening. Exhausted, they immediately went to bed. The next morning, John got up earlier than the rest of the family to pack everything into the car, as he and Tom had agreed to drive their own cars. The route they took was over 9,400 kilometers. He was just putting on the last bag when the children's cries of joy alerted him that breakfast was ready. "Well, honey, I'll be getting ready so I won't be late. Kids, give Daddy a kiss goodbye. I'll try to call you every now and then if I can." He said goodbye once more, then kissed his wife and left the house. They met at the agreed-upon location precisely at 7:00 a.m. They had been driving for over ten hours. Only in a small town did they decide to make a stop. After a short rest, they set off on the long journey again. They arrived six days later. They were the second of four teams to arrive. The first day was for unpacking and familiarizing themselves with the excavation site. Work was to begin the day after the last group arrived. And, as expected, it was a Thursday. Each group had a designated area to work in, to which only they had access. The excavation was divided because the University had prepared some rather significant sums of money for the groups. The amount depended on the value of the find. In the first few days, John and Tom, belonging to the first group, found some pieces of pottery and bones that they determined belonged to peoples who inhabited the area several thousand years ago. These were not the most valuable finds, as other groups boasted similar discoveries. After almost two weeks, no fossils of greater value than those previously found.      One day, 25 days after John and his friend's arrival, the weather forced everyone to temporarily suspend their work. Around 2:00 PM, it began raining heavily. Therefore, in a great hurry, the entire excavation site had to be tightly covered with plastic sheeting to prevent the arduous work from being wasted. This weather persisted for several days. Work only resumed on Tuesday. That same day, the first group discovered some bones that were definitely not human. It took them a few more days to clear the bones of sand. Five days later, they finished their work. The bones covered an area of ​​25 by 42 meters.      After a long effort by all the participating groups, they finally managed to create a skeleton with minor cavities. It did not belong to any animal previously discovered on Earth. Some believed it might be the skeleton of a dinosaur not yet discovered by humans. This opinion could be very plausible, but not necessarily. If it was indeed a dinosaur, it was carnivorous. The structure of the teeth suggested this. A few hours later, they began preserving the bones from damage and left them to decompose.      The following week, three more groups arrived. A total of 45 people. Among these groups was a man raised in this culture. He was around fifty years old. John decided to ask him for help. "Good morning. I'm John Kent, a student at Oxford University, and I'd like to ask you for help identifying this skeleton, as it may be related to the beliefs or myths of the local culture. Could you come to site number 1, where we have the skeleton?" "No problem. I'll be back in about an hour because I have something to do. Okay? " "Yes. Of course. Whatever suits you." When he arrived at the appointed place, he thought for a moment, then said, "Yes. Mmmmmh. I believe it's the skeleton of a mythical creature. His name was Meniwar, which in the local language means something like "bloodthirsty." According to the myths, he only killed people. But not whole people, only certain organs. " "If you don't mind me asking, why only certain organs and which ones?" Tom interjected. "I'll explain. He harvested the brain, heart, intestines, and liver. Because they were essential to human life. " "Disgusting," John said. "You're absolutely right, but we have to remember that these are just myths invented by ancient cultures simply to entertain ourselves. " "Thank you for your valuable time. Perhaps we could meet at our place for a beer tonight, because we'd like to learn more about this creature." Maybe at 8:00, if you're up to it, Mr.... " "Steven will do. " "...Steven will do. " "Of course, I'd love to. " "Until tonight then," John concluded.      The rest of the day passed quietly. Everyone worked tirelessly, occasionally discovering new pieces of bone or vessels, but of far less value than the mysterious skeleton of the first group. John and Tom returned from the excavation after seven to prepare for their guest. They heard a knock on the door just as the clock struck eight.                            "Oh, good morning. We're waiting. Come in. Beer's ready," Tom began. "You said you wanted to know more about Meniwar. Well, listen up. I went to the nearest library especially and found some interesting information. One of the books said that Meniwar is a shortened version of Mefolunikowarus, a mythical creature that lived about ten centuries ago in the northern part of present-day Egypt, which is roughly where we are, as your skeleton attests. He was the most terrifying monster imaginable." Instead of skin, it had scales three inches thick, two heads each with two rows of razor-sharp teeth dripping saliva, and from its mouth it spewed acid that devoured everything. As for those heads, it was best not to cut them off (if anyone managed to do so), because after cutting one off, two would grow from one. Its tail was equipped with a powerful spike. Its wings had a span of ten meters. "Has anyone ever managed to defeat it?" John interjected. "Yes, but not for long. " "What?" "I'll explain. There was a brave man, or rather, Aukolitas, who managed to trap him and cut him into pieces. But not for long, because after a few minutes, the pieces began to merge back into one whole. And when he finished re-creating himself, he killed Aukolitas, escaped the trap, and began killing again, most likely to survive. " "I have a few more questions," Tom continued. "Feel free to ask, and I'll try to help. " "Namely. Do you know if the creature was in any region other than Egypt, and is there any information about how it died? " "As far as I can tell, there's nothing about it living outside of Egypt, and I can't answer your second question. But I do know one more piece of information. Apparently, it was believed to draw some power from that place, which is why it didn't have to kill all the time. Well, thanks for the invitation, but I have to run now, I have an appointment. " "Thank you for the great story. See you tomorrow," Tom concluded.      The next few days brought nothing new. The weather was perfect, with a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius and no rain. Only three days after Steven's visit with John and Tom did a light drizzle begin, making the air more crisp and making work easier. The next week, while everyone was working, the myth of Meniwar began to come true. The skeleton's bones began to fuse. First the leg bones, then the spine (which was intact), then the ribs, wings, and finally the head. When the process of revival was complete, the monster flew off toward the nearby mountains to regain its strength, dormant for hundreds of years. It hid in the cave where it had been born twelve centuries ago. It fell asleep, only to begin its killing spree the next day.      The work finished early that same day, so John and Tom went out for a beer with their friends. When they returned, it was still light enough to see the ground, but due to the "intoxication," they didn't notice the skeleton was missing. They immediately went to bed. Early in the morning, around six o'clock, John decided to get some fresh air to ease his hangover. Only after a while, when he had recovered, did he notice the empty spot at the excavation site. He immediately returned to the cottage and woke his friend. "Hey! Tom! Wake up! Quick! " "What's the matter? What's the matter? " "There's no skeleton. Someone stole it, or... " "Or what? " "No, that's stupid. " "Come on. " "Okay. Maybe he woke up and ran away, just like the myth says, that he could fuse together. That's why he fused the bones. " "It's a myth, a fairy tale, and you believe it. Someone jealous must have taken him and hidden him. " "I have to go somewhere, Tom. I'll be back soon."      After a while, he dressed, left the cottage, and went to Steven's. "Hi. Listen, we could talk." "Of course. What's the matter? " "Do you know anything else about this, Meniwar? More specifically, how long did he live, or how often did the one who died revive?" John asked. "Why are you asking? " "I'll tell you later. " "If I remember correctly, he lived about three hundred years, and the one who died was reborn in a year with three zeros, like today's year 2000. " "Oh my God. I hope it's just a myth. " "But what's the matter? " "I'm telling you now. The skeleton disappeared. It simply disappeared. And I doubt anyone stole it for profit. But I'll ask around."      He spent three hours asking questions anyway, getting no information. After a while, he returned to the cottage and told Tom everything. Around four in the afternoon, they went outside to explore the area. After walking about a kilometer, they spotted a body lying on the ground. They immediately went towards it. It was one of the workers. His body was missing the heart, brain, liver, and, oddly enough, leg bones. "And you still think it's just another silly myth invented by humans, or maybe it's a coincidence that a skeleton dies, and then the next day we find a bloody corpse with traces clearly pointing to the skeleton's activity, that hideous creature," said John. "I guess you were right, he was resurrected. But how is that possible, and did it happen to us? What happens next if the myth is completely true? " "It'll be tragic. Okay, let's go back and inform the others, especially Steven."      After returning, they told everyone what happened and went to Steven. "You have to help us stop Meniwar, because I think he's getting stronger, because he's already killed one person and will most likely continue to do so to survive. " "If it really is him, we can count the days of our lives if we don't find something in the old books."      After this brief conversation, they immediately went to the library, but this one was different from Steven's previous one, and larger. They searched for quite a while until they finally found the right book. More than half of it was intended for Mefolunikowarus. From it, they learned interesting things that could help them destroy him forever. He most likely awoke because he sensed nearby people who would help him survive. But there is an object that generates a power that sustains him without the need to kill anyone. It is Zo-Tan, a crystal found in the nearby mountains. But no one has managed to obtain it due to numerous traps created by an unknown source. Without the crystal, Meniwar will begin to disintegrate, and then his bones will disappear. The method of scaring him away is a loud scream, triggered by at least five people. The latest information was that he reproduces every five years, and a second head only grows two months after his second resurrection. On his return, Tom began the conversation. "It seems our work so far will be interrupted. " "How so?" " Simply put. We have to find that crystal. Destroy it, and that's it. " "Are you completely crazy? You must have read that no one else has ever succeeded," John said. "No one else will do it because they'd have to believe it first. And only we know what's going on here. I guess we have no choice. If we don't do it, people will die, first all of us, and then everyone else who comes here. Think about the consequences. " "Okay. Maybe you're right. But let's wait a few more days to see what happens. If people keep dying, we'll take action. But we'd have to have some kind of weapon. But how do we get it?" John added. "You don't have to worry about that, man. I've got the right friends, and I'll come up with a plausible story," Tom said. "What would we do without you?" John concluded.      When they returned, it was still daylight, so they decided to work a little more to kill time and ease their nerves. The next day began with beautiful, sunny weather. Everyone worked from early in the morning. John and Tom, too, hoping nothing would happen. By early afternoon, the sky had become overcast, but not with rain clouds. Just then, a scream was heard. Everyone immediately dropped their chisels and other tools and ran to the scene. The first to arrive were the university students. Mefolunikowarus appeared before their eyes in all its glory, scales covering its entire body. It slowly approached its future victim. The myth was being fulfilled in its entirety. Acid dripped from its teeth, and its claws inexorably approached its fear-paralyzed victim.      Suddenly, Steven ordered everyone to scream very loudly. Everyone was quite surprised by this, but they obeyed. And as luck would have it, the monster looked at them and flew back to its hiding place. This time, another tragedy was averted. After this incident, John spoke up: "Everyone here, listen up! You've just witnessed a strange event that will be etched in your memory for the rest of your lives. You may not believe me, but it was a mythical creature, Meniwar. It kills people to survive. It has already killed one man in our large group, and it will continue to do so if we don't stop it. Therefore, I appeal to those who would be brave enough to help us and who don't have children. That means me and my friends Tom and Steven. We probably won't be able to do it without volunteers. But I'm not forcing you to do anything. Thank you for listening. You can go back to work now, if anyone feels like it.      No one slept soundly that night." But surprisingly, the monster didn't appear the next day. Unfortunately, two days later, there were two victims. When the others heard the news, a group of volunteers immediately lined up next to John and Tom. The rest returned home. Forty hours later, weapons were ready. Among them were a grenade, pistols, a supply of magazines, machine guns, and other technological marvels. Climbing equipment was prepared for everyone if needed. The expedition was to take place in two days, after everyone was informed of the potential danger. On Wednesday, precisely at 5:00 a.m., before dawn, they set off for the mountains. They arrived a few hours later. First, they split up to check for any entrances. Finding nothing, they began climbing. Two hours later, one of the volunteers, Jack, found a wide pit. Entering it, he decided to wait for the others. There were eight of them in total. After a short rest, they continued on their way. They moved very carefully, mindful of possible traps. One thought kept running through John's mind: "Why? Someone built these supposed traps, most likely protecting access to the crystal and perhaps even the bloodthirsty creature itself. Perhaps they created this creature, but the question is: why? Or perhaps Meniwar was created and raised by this person, but managed to escape."      For about ten minutes (which seemed like an eternity), the road led straight until it finally forked. Two of the volunteers decided to go right. The rest, meanwhile, waited for confirmation that there was a way through. After a moment, a scream rang out. The others immediately rushed to help. Fortunately, it wasn't a monster, but something equally dangerous. Or, more precisely, hanging vines that had wrapped themselves around the volunteers' bodies. Fortunately, everyone was equipped with knives, so they began cutting the "killer vines." After a while, they managed to free them. It was clear they had to go the other way. One of the volunteers who had just been trapped began, "Thanks for the help. I thought I'd be strangled by a plant. " "No problem. We're here to help each other. But at least we have proof that there really are traps here, we just don't know which ones or how many," Tom replied. "That's why we have to stick together, otherwise it'll be hard to survive here," John added.      After a short conversation, they continued on. Walking very slowly, they were careful of every piece of rock. At one point, John, who was walking first with Tom, stopped. "What's the matter?" someone in the group asked. "Wait, I see something suspicious here. Tom, you see those tiny levers, and between them, the fishing line. A definite trap. Hide in that alcove. Does anyone have a hook on a line? " "Yes. I have it," Jack said. "Great. Give it to me." Thanks."      He took it in his hand and threw it on the line, then pulled. Immediately, spikes emerged from the walls, which would surely kill them instantly. They moved cautiously. Behind the spikes was a chasm, at the bottom of which boiled magma. The hole was over five meters long, meaning there was no way they could jump over it. John accidentally tripped over a pebble that should have fallen into the hole, but it stopped flush with the surface. The chasm was just an illusion, somehow created. For about four hundred meters, the path was very narrow, and at times they had to crawl across. This meant they certainly wouldn't encounter the Mefolunikowarus, which must have another entrance. Soon, another fork appeared. "Another trap," John thought. "Let's risk going left," William suggested. They agreed and set off. They thought they had the right path when they suddenly heard a scream. William, who was ahead of them: - Run!! Quickly!!! Run!!      They immediately ran towards the exit. The moment they emerged, they heard something rolling. Three seconds later, six spiked rock balls rolled out of the entrance. One of them was William. The first man had given his life for the rest of the group. After the tragedy, everyone decided to continue. They continued on, thinking only of destroying the Mefolunikowarus. After a while, they decided to rest for a while. They drank some water and continued on their dangerous path. After walking about two hundred meters, they reached a large chamber from which, at first glance, there seemed to be no exit. As everyone entered the cave, which could hold at least five hundred people, creatures resembling the "bloodthirster" appeared from nowhere. John ordered no shooting until they attacked, which didn't take long. The shooting began. The seven brave men were outnumbered by over fifteen creatures. Fortunately, they weren't as clever as adults and weren't much of a threat to the men with machine guns, so the fight ended quickly. Unfortunately, they lost another friend, who was stripped of vital organs. The slain creatures scattered and vanished. A search began for a possible hidden entrance. After a while, someone noticed a strangely protruding rock resembling a button. It was several meters above the ground. Tom decided to climb. After climbing, he pressed a rock. The floor began to slide open, revealing a staircase leading to who knows where. They switched on powerful flashlights and began descending. As it turned out, the lights weren't needed. The red-hot lava provided ample illumination. The entire vast chamber was studded with various gems. One of the volunteers began pulling them out of the wall. This proved fatal. A snake began emerging from the lava. The rest of the group began shooting and throwing grenades at him. This didn't help at all. Bullets bounced off the shell-covered body, ricocheting in all directions, and he treated the grenades as if they weren't even there. "Move! Quickly!" John shouted.      But he stood there, mesmerized. Before John could move to pull him, the snake grabbed him around the middle and pulled him in. The five remaining men moved to the other end of the chamber, where the exit lay. After a moment, they spotted a staircase. They climbed it. Zo-Tan appeared, placed on some kind of altar. Someone started to move, but John stopped him. "Wait. I think there's some kind of trap here, hopefully the last one."      Together with Tom, they looked around the side walls, but without going inside. Finally, they noticed the protruding tips of lasers. They decided to use the glass to direct one beam at the other. And they succeeded. They entered and approached the crystal. As Steven, who had stayed behind, had said, they couldn't destroy the crystal on its own, in the mountains, but beyond them. So John took it and set off back the same way. After an hour and a half, they emerged from the mountains and headed towards the cottage where Steven was waiting. They watched out for Meniwar the entire way, but surprisingly, it didn't appear. Only when Steven began reciting a special verse did they spot it in the sky in the distance. "Steven, it's already here," Tom said . "Try to distract it for just a minute by shouting as loudly as you can. But it would be best if you said the words: 'Abat om luret,' which means 'go away forever.'" The words worked. The monster didn't get too close. When Steven finished reciting the formula, he began to break it into tiny pieces, after which they were to be buried where the skeleton had been found. Steven took it upon himself to do so. He threw the pieces into the hole and began to cover them. Finally, he drove a cross into the ground and said, "DIE FOREVER."      Suddenly, Mefolunikowarus began to writhe as if in pain and roared. Then its body split into pieces and disappeared. Afterward, they began packing, hoping that it wouldn't rise again in a few hundred years.      When our heroes, Tom and John, returned home, they told their families everything. Unfortunately, they didn't receive the previously promised rewards because there was no evidence. The most important thing, however, is that they survived.