Two minutes later, the hall fell into an eerie quiet, onlythe rhythmic clatter of boots and the heavy scrape of crates being moved.
The squad had completed their mission, mountains of treasure now lay in a dazzling heap at the center: gleaming gold bars, shimring coins, chests overflowing with gems, racks of weapons, and shelves cramd with ancient scrolls.
The squad stood guard around this bounty, rifles ready, their eyes sharp despite the fatigue etched on their faces.
At the forefront was Arthur, his coat rustling softly with each shift of air.
Calmness radiated from him, though his gaze flickered between the throne, the crown, and the Codex his focus never fully leaving these artifacts.
BOOOOOM!
Just then a boom shattered the silence.
The ceiling above trembled violently as stone dust rained down like rain.
Spider-webbed cracks spread across the surface before erupting outward in a thunderous roar; fragnts blasted apart as if struck by a giant’s hamr.
The sound reverberated through the chamber, so loud that it shook the very walls.
Beams of brilliant white light sliced through the broken ceilin reaching down to the hall below.
Engines humd, followed by the hiss of ropes being deployed into action.
Figures descended with precision.
Dozens of soldiers clad in sleek black armor slid gracefully down ropes, rifles slung casually across their backs.
Their visors glowed faintly as Viroes scanned their surroundings for any threats.
Each movent was sharp and practiced; they landed seamlessly on the floor and ford a tight periter around Arthur and his squad.
Relief washed over Arthur’s n as they exhaled deeply; for the first ti since entering this tomb-like place, they have felt quite safe.
A commander clad in heavier armor stepped forward sharply and saluted with military precision. "Sir."
Arthur acknowledged him with a brief nod. "Begin transport. Every piece goes up."
"Yes, sir." The commander pivoted on his heel and raised his hand decisively. "Move out!"
Black-armored soldiers surged forward like a well-oiled machine,so carried reinforced crates down ropes while others carefully loaded priceless artifacts into padded containers.
The once-silent hall buzzed to life with organized chaos.
"Wait."
That single word sliced through the commotion like a knife.
Everyone turned to face Professor Adrian, who stood rigidly at a distance,his face pale but resolute.
His voice cracked slightly but he pressed on: "Mr. Osborn... don’t forget our deal."
Tension imdiately thickened in the air; even Gunner instinctively brushed his hand against his rifle’s barrel.
Arthur turned slowly, his gaze icy and heavy, locking onto Adrian with an intensity that made the old professor falter.
For a heartbeat, Adrian swallowed hard, feeling as if the weight of that look might buckle his knees.
Then, almost imperceptibly, Arthur’s lips curved into a faint smile.
He let out a short, asured laugh. "Of course. I don’t break my word. After all I’m an upright man."
The tension in the room eased just a bit; Adrian exhaled in relief, though he could still feel his shoulders trembling.
With a commanding gesture, Arthur raised his hand toward the commander.
"Leave two chests of treasure, a pile of coins, two shelves of books, and five racks of weapons."
"Yes, sir!" The commander saluted sharply before signaling to adjust their course. The soldiers moved without question.
Arthur turned back to face Adrian again, this ti his tone sharpened like a blade.
"The throne, the crown, and the Codex stay with . You can have the sword and staff."
Adrian hesitated; his hands clenched tightly at his sides as he glanced from the Codex to Arthur and back again.
But ultimately, he lowered his head in resignation. "...Fine."
Arthur’s smile widened slightly,though it didn’t quite reach his cold eyes.
"Don’t worry! When you leave this mountain, you’ll tell everyone that your expedition was sponsored by the Osborn Institute of Antiquities and Research."
His voice took on an air of excitent as he continued: "A new museum will open in Varenya, dedicated and permanent! Open to all! And you’ll make sure they know that the throne, crown, and Codex are under our care."
The archaeologists froze in disbelief; shock rippled through their group like electricity.
Adrian opened his mouth but found no words; Kaelen and others exchanged stunned glances but dared not object.
Even Ethan and the commanders were caught off guard,Ethan’s eyebrows shot up in disbelief while Holt and Mireille frowned but remained silent.
Without offering further explanation, Arthur shifted gears entirely: "Gunner! Leave n behind with them,they’ll act as escorts under the Aegis-7 na."
"Yes, Patriarch," Gunner replied firmly.
Arthur beckoned over the transport commander and turned to Ethan next. "Give him Stone’s picture."
Ethan stiffened at those words; trembling slightly as he dug into his vest pocket for a folded photo.
His bloodshot eyes t Arthur’s as he handed it over.
In a low yet steady voice that commanded attention, Arthur said: "Search for this man. If you find a corpse... bring it here..I need to see it with my own eyes. If he’s alive? You bring him back..no excuses!"
The commander snapped a crisp salute. "Understood." With a swift gesture, he pointed to a smaller unit.
"Search party..move out!" A squad imdiately sprang into action,
Ethan felt a lump in his throat. He bit down on the inside of his cheek, his eyes glistening with unshed tears.
But he forced a smile, his voice trembling as he spoke, "Thank you, boss."
Those words hung in the air..fragile yet powerful.
One by one, the commanders followed suit. Holt, Rask, Lyra, Vos, Marek,each stood tall and pressed their fists to their chests in solidarity. "Thank you, boss!" they shouted in unison.
Their voices reverberated through the hall like thunder, shaking it more than the blast that had just rattled their world above.
Arthur stood there silently, watching them all with an intensity that seed to pierce through the chaos.
His gaze swept across their faces,tired and battered but undeniably unbroken.
For just a mont, his stoic facade cracked; a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Don’t thank yet," he said softly. "We don’t know if Stone is still alive."
Gunner’s steady voice broke through the tension like a knife cutting through fog. "Doesn’t matter! Dead or alive, we’ll find him. That’s what counts."
Arthur held Gunner’s gaze for what felt like an eternity before nodding slowly. "Very well."
With determination etched on his face, he raised his hand sharply. "Board the transports! We’re racing against ti!"
"Yes, Boss!" ca the fervent reply.
The squad wasted no ti; they hooked onto ropes and were pulled upward into blinding light one after another.
Soldiers hoisted crates filled with gold and racks of weapons alongside them while archaeologists clutched their precious artifacts with wide-eyed disbelief at the treasures surrounding them.
In re minutes, the treasury lay empty.
Arthur was last to rise; as he ascended skyward on the rope, he cast one final glance down at the throne room,the empty table and cold stone walls echoing stories untold.
And then... silence fell over everything.
The hum of engines faded away into nothingness. Dust settled like a shroud over what once was vibrant life.
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