As Skye pressed the button, a low hum seemed to emanate from the box. The ruby glowed red, it's light spreading out into the runes and patterns carved into the chest. With a small crackle of energy, the lights coalesced back around the button. The light and humming slowly faded and latches holding the chest closed popped open.
Skye looked around towards the other girls for a second before cautiously opening the lid and reaching inside. A small of confusion passed over her face as she pulled out a strange looking device. It appeared to be two glass tubes bound together by some electronics. Each was about the size of a slim soda can. The tubes were capped with bright yellow plastic and seemed to be filled with a bright green, viscous fluid that glowed very faintly in the dim light of the room.
The electronics connect to the tubes appeared to be some kind of control panel. A large red button sat in the middle of it, surround by six semicircular lights that all glowed bright green. Above this was a little screen that was comprised of eight little rectangles in a row. Above that sat a pair of lights, one red and the other green. The red light glowed brightly, while the green was powered off for a moment. Below the big button, the words 'MONSTER BLOOD' were stamped on in a large, metallic green font.
At the bottom of the tubes, a set of smaller tubes connected to a black suction cup.
"What does this do?" she asked aloud.
"Was there a note in there with it?" said Jessica.
Skye reached in again for a second, "Nope, looks like I'll just have to figure it out myself. Looks 'sciencey' though." With that, she began to peer more closely at the contraption.
"That black bit on the bottom looks like some kind of applicator"offered Sarah helpfully, "I've seen ones like it at my mom's lab."
At that, Skye placed the black suction cup against her forearm. Immediately, the little screen's rectangles began to light up, flowing from left to right until the bar was full. The red light flicked off, and the green one began to shine brightly.
Skye gave them all a meaningful look before, she turned back to the device.
"Well, here goes nothing."
She pressed the red button.
Instantly, the suction cup on the applicator pulled tightly against Skye's skin. The girl barely had time to let out a startled yelp before the device started whirring.
"Ouch!" Skye yelled. "It just stuck me with something! I think there's a needle in there!"
The whirring sound was joined by a gushing one, and the girls watched as the liquid in the tubes bubbled and lowered somewhat as the applicator injected it into Skye's arm. Skye's veins near the suction cup appeared to glow greenish for a moment as the Monster Blood passed through them before returning to their normal color.
Abruptly the device went silent and released itself from Skye's arm. She set the device town on the table and rubbed the injection sight before inspecting it. A small raised circular bruise with a dot in the center had been left behind.
"Does it hurt?" asked Kimberly worriedly. She didn't want her friends to get hurt using their artifacts.
"The needle hurt a bit" Skye admitted, "but now the area is just a little tender."
She looked herself over. "I feel a little weird, do I look any different?"
"Not at all" said Jessica, eyeing her carefully, "It must take a while before any changes occur."
They all looked back at the Monster Blood injector. The green light was off and the red one had flicked back on. One of the lights around the button had gone dim.
"Guess it's got 5 more uses" said Kimmy.
"And a timer!" said Sarah, as she pointed to the little screen, where all but one of the eight boxes was dim.
"I wanted some changes now" said Skye in disappointment, "but I guess I can be patient."
Before anyone could say more, the latches on the chest snapped shut of their own accord. The chest was ready for the next user.
"So", said Kimberly, "Who wants to go..."
"My turn!" said Sarah, her excitement outweighing her polite desire to let anyone else go next. She pressed the button and the box began to summon another relic.