Nick and Monroe made their way down to the tunnels, turning on their flashlights as they started to descend. There was a very real concern of a cave in or maybe even some sort of trap set by those wanting to protect whatever was hidden.
"People were really superstitious back then. Most likely the seven grimms hid whatever this thing is in one of the burial chambers, knowing that there was little chance of someone looking there." Monroe advised.
The two men turned on lanterns, propped them against the corners of the crypt and began to search every grave, searching among the bones for any sign of the artifact.
Up at the picnic site, Adalind was visibly worried about Nick.
"I'm sure they'll be fine." Rosalee tried to comfort the blonde. "Those two have been getting in and out of trouble since before I met them."
Adalind gave a half smile. "Nick told me that Monroe was a huge help when he discovered he was a grimm. Nick hadn't even know what a grimm was. Or anything about wesen. Monroe's willingness to help him, helped Nick become the grimm he is."
Rosalee laughed. "Monroe says all the time that Nick wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for him. But he has also said that he wouldn't be nearly as happy as he is now, if he hadn't let Nick into his life. Nick was actually the one who introduced us." The fuchsbau said with fondness.
"I wish I would have known what kind of a man Nick was. Before I made a mess of my life. I did a lot of foolish things, all because I thought grimms were the enemy and the man I loved could do no wrong." Adalind said with regret.
"I'm sure you thought it was the right thing at the time." Rosalee revealed her own mistakes. "I knew what I was doing was wrong, but I still got myself into some really bad situations anyway. I was an addict and become reckless, even dangerous. Did things I could never make right. But I hope I can learn from my past and make a better future. For myself, Monroe and our future kids."
Adalind's eyes widened in shock. "Wow, I never would have guessed that about you. You have such a grace and wisdom about you. Nick never told me, does he know? I'm guessing Monroe must?"
"Nick actually guessed first." Rosalee breathed a giggle. "I don't know whether it's because he's a grimm or it's just him. But that man is extremely perceptive." With a touch of sadness in her eyes, she revealed. "My brother Freddie was murdered by addicts hooked on the same stuff I was. In order to find them, Nick said that we needed to look in the places addicts always held up when they were using. He was able to tell I used to be one and would know where such a place was in Portland. Monroe had been standing right there when Nick asked me where a location was. While had had seemed surprised at first. He still accepted me. Never looked down on me. Even seemed to understand. He told me he had his own demons, so he would never judge someone who was also trying to overcome theirs."
Adalind smiled. "Nick has been very forgiving of me. Gave me a chance, gave us a clean slate and a chance to start over and make the best life that we can for our son." She looked at Diana, "He even got me back my daughter. I will never take for granted the life we're starting to make. Or how lucky I am to have him in my life."
"Are you and Nick going to get married for real?" Diana asked.
Adalind blushed. "I don;t no sweety. I guess Nick and I will figure that out. But it won't be for a long long time. There's a lot to so before we think about marriage."
Rosalee didn't say it, but she felt it wouldn't be as long as Adalind thought till Nick would be interested in putting a ring on her finger. Nick was a man who liked commitment. He wanted to put down roots. As deep as he could make them. He was a man who never wanted to let go. Especially the people he loved. If there was a chance Nick could have forever with someone, he would take it. Rosalee could see how much Nick cared for Adalind. How he had fallen in love with her. Doubtful he would run the risk of loosing her. Since he had already lost so many people he loved already. Nick had always fought hard for the ones he loved. He had fought hard for Juliette. Doing everything in his power to save their love. He would fight just as hard, if not harder, for Adalind. After all, she was the mother of his child. And that elevated her to goddess status in his eyes. Making her his wife would be something he was bound to do. And do soon.
In the tunnels, NIck was thinking of Adalind and the life they were starting to build together. They had just found her daughter and would be getting to take her home with them. Just as soon as he and Monroe found whatever it was the Templars buried.
The longer they spent in the tunnels, the more creeped out Monroe was feeling. He couldn't help but think of every horror movie of the dead emerging from their crypts and going after any poor fool dumb enough to be around.
Or those adventure quest movies where some poor schmuck stepped on the wrong stone and ends up getting sliced in two by a sword flying from a wall.
The worst thing was, they had been searching for what felt like hours and they hadn't found a single clue where the treasure was hidden.
"Dude, this is pointless. We've searched everywhere. Wherever they hid this thing, they made sure it was impossible to find."
Nick looked around, digging deep into his grimm instincts, listening to them for a way to find what his ancestors had hidden.
"We need to go back several hundred years." He said.
"We kind of are back several hundred years." Monroe replied, pointing all around them at the centuries old crypt.
Nick looked at Monroe. "No, we need to be in their mind frame several hundred years ago! You said they were really superstitious back then. That no one would ever come down here because they would be too scared. And they certainly wouldn't come down here without light."
"No, they wouldn't." Monroe said, trying to hide his nervousness on where he suspected the crazy grimm was going with this. "They would be too scared of the dark."
"We need to turn off the lights." Nick said a little too excitedly in Monroe's opinion. An almost gleeful smile on the raven haired man's face.
The crazy grimm then proceeds to turn off his own flashlight and the lanterns in the corner.
Monroe reluctantly turns his own flashlight off and the room was plunged into darkness.
"Dude? I hope that is your hand."
"Look, the skulls. They're glowing."
Seven skulls glowed in the darkness on an area that both had assumed was just another stack of skeletons like on so many other places around the crypt.
"They form a "G"." Monroe observed. "G for grimm!"
They turned the lights back on, got out the shovels and began to dig.
"Think about it man! We have just found what so many have been searching centuries for! Where they have failed, we have succeeded! We have done in just a short amount of time what the royals have been trying to do for hundreds of years! We are actually unearthing history!"
Nick looked at Monroe pointedly.
"Right." The blutbad calmed himself. "Let's get this thing out of here before we start celebrating."
They unearthed a chest about the size of a bread box.
"I thought it would be bigger?" Monroe stated with puzzlement. "You know, since it had been the cause of so much chaos."
"We need all seven keys to open it." Nick said when he saw the seven locks. "We'll just have to take the chest with us. We can find out what's inside at the spice shop."
"Good. The sooner we get out of here, the better." Monroe said with relief.
Nick grinned. "What's wrong, aren't you enjoying this visit to your ancestral land?"
"Not when it involves walking through rat and spider infested tunnels. Or You and your baby mama casting longing looks at one another and smelling like you're about to jump each other any moment."
Nick had the courtesy not to respond. He was feeling generous from the knowledge that Adalind desired him just as much as he desired her, and that their attraction was so obvious.
He was very tired of being the only one in love and fighting for the relationship.
They put the chest safely in the backpack and headed back to the surface.
They realized the sun had already set when they reached the top and headed to where the women and kids were waiting.
Adalind and Rosalee had bundled themselves and the kids in the extra blankets they had brought and were very grateful for.
The two men rushed to their woman and hugged them tight.
"Whatever the artifact is, it's locked tight in a chest. Nick had to put the whole chest in his bag." Monroe informed the women.
"Then let's gather everything up and head out of here. The sooner we're back in Portland, the better." Rosalee said.
Nick messaged Miesner that they needed to be leaving Germany. He got a message back that six plane tickets would be waiting for them when they arrived at the airport.
Unfortunately, there were a number of locals who were very suspicious why a grimm and three wesen were so close to the ruins of an old church.
They attacked the group. Four headed straight for Nick, trying to rip his bag from him while two more went after Monroe. Others went after the women, smiling as if they were easy targets, only to be very surprised when they put up a bigger fight than anticipated. Rosalee woging to use tooth and claw to defend herself.
Adalind levitated rocks and branches at the men who came after her and Rosalee. But she was so focused on those in front of her, that she missed the man sneaking up behind her.
However, Diana did not.
"You leave my mom and brother alone!" The little girl shouted and threw the man hard against a tree some distance away.
That group of attacker were all knocked out cold, but there was concern of more, so they all agreed without speaking to get as fast as they could to the car and out of Germany.
This time Nick took the wheel, and was able to get them to the airport in an impressive amount of time.
Nick thought it wise to keep his bag with the chest with him as a carry on. Thankfully, no one seemed to find whatever was in there suspicious.
During the plane ride, Adalind continuously smiled at her daughter and baby boy sleeping soundly in the seats between her and Nick.
"We might have to start looking for a house, soon." Nick said fondly as he too gazed at the sleeping children. "The loft is the safest place but it might not be the best place for a full family." He looked at Adalind. "Privacy issues."
Adalind blushed, understanding completely what he meant. The close space was fine while they were just starting getting used to one another and they only had a baby to consider. But an older child could wander and explore anytime they wanted. Even if the parents thought they were asleep.
But that could wait, and they could just make sure to be quiet and careful for the time being. At the moment, they had other concerns. Like learning about the extraordinary abilities Diana seemed to possess. And finding out whatever mystery lied with whatever was inside that chest.
Anticipation getting the best of all of them, they decided to head straight to the spice shop once they landed in Portland.
Nick made sure to message Hank and Wu, telling them that they had found something and that they should meet them at the spice shop.
For the time being, he thought it best to not tell Renard. He also decided to leave it up to Adalind when she wanted to let him know Diana was with them.
Once at the spice shop, Nick thought it best to open the chest in the basement, where there was the least likely chance of someone uninvited walking in on them.
Hank and Wu arrived just as Nick had picked the lock of two of the slots, the ones that they didn't have the keys for.
He gave a key each to Monroe, Rosalee, Hank and Wu. Nick took the middle key while Adalind stood behind him holding their son in her arms and stood next to her.
The keys were turned and there were five simultaneous clicks. Nick took hold of the lid and lifted, only to be met with resistance. As hard as he pulled, he could not take the lid off the chest.
"I don't understand? Every lock clicked. Why won't it open?" Nick said with frustration.
"There seems to be some kind of seal around it." Hank observed.
"What kind of seel lasts for centuries?" Wu questioned.
"One that the seven grimms wanted to make sure could not be broken." Rosalee said.
"Nick, your blood." Adalind spoke. "Grimms blood has power. You and I both know what it can do."
The event where Nick's blood took Adalind's powers popped into their minds.
Rosalee got a knife and handed it to Nick. He cut his finger open and slid it around the seam of the chest.
"If this doesn't work, I'm getting a hacksaw!" Monroe said, his own frustration and excitement surfacing.
Suddenly, there was a pop and dust flew from the chest.
Everyone stood straighter with excitement and anticipation as he was able to remove the lid and reveal the contents inside.
Only to feel a little deflated when all that could be seen was some kind of cloth.
"I really hope there's more in there." Wu said.
Nick picked up the cloth and unfurled it, revealing that it was wrapped around some kind of stick.
"A stick? Who buries a stick? Unless, you know, some kind of dog wesen?" Monroe near shouted.
Diana giggled, thinking the wolf man was very funny.
"Could be some kind of stick-mata," Wu said, then regretting it immediately, "Sorry, that was a terrible pun."
"It could belong to something bigger, of importance?" Hank theorized.
"Like a branch from the tree of knowledge, of good and evil." Rosalee said, understanding where he was going with that thought.
"Like with Adam and Eve?" Monroe furrowed his brows. "Great, so we might have something that will open the portal to hell."
"Well let's not open the portal to Hell here in Portland." Nick said, about to set the stick pack in the chest.
Just then, Monroe stumbled back. Rosalee rushed to him. "Honey, what's wrong?" She asked with fear and concern rising.
"I don't feel so good. My arm is starting to throb." Monroe said, voice wavering.
His sleeve his pushed up and a bite mark is revealed on his arm.
"I'm a blutbad, I thought it would be fine." He said as he fainted.
Panicked, everyone rushed to him with the intent to get him to the hospital. Then they all heard Diana say, "It's alright. Nick healed him."
Sure enough, the wound that had seemed so infected had miraculously closed. Leaving not even a trace of a scar, only slight smears of blood to show that there had been anything there at all.
It was also realized that Nick still had ahold of the stick, and he was pressing right against the arm where the horrible wound had been.
They all looked at one another in shock. Monroe woke up. "Hey, what happened?"
"Your wound, it's gone." Rosalee said in awe.
"That stick is pretty special after all." Wu commented.
Nick stared at the stick in shock. He then remembered the cloth it was wrapped in and decided to take a second look at it.
"There's some writing here." He sighed. "But I can't make it out."
"We'll have to find someone who can run tests." Adalind suggested. "The writing that I can make out, it's not a language that has been spoken in a very long time."
"But I don't get it? If the stick can heal people, why hide it?" Monroe said.
"There's got to be a lot more to that stick and what it can do." Rosalee said.
"It's probably best that thing stays hidden until we get some answers." Hank suggested.
"Don't worry." All eyes turn to Diana as the little girl announced. "As long as Nick has it, Everything will be alright."